Bosses will soon be free to snoop through their employees' e-mails and eavesdrop on phone calls.

The Government has published draft regulations which will give industry greater freedom to monitor staff and screen messages.

The new rules unveiled by e-commerce and small business minister Patricia Hewitt would allow companies to have "routine access" to any business e-mails and phone calls to check up on staff.

They could come into effect as soon as October 24. The Government abandoned earlier proposals to make companies get permission from e-mail senders and recipients before monitoring them.

Instead, under the new Regulation of Investigatory Powers (RIP) Act, both public and private sector employers will be able to record or monitor communications without consent in a wide range of situations.

Ms Hewitt denied the rules would create a "big brother" situation in the workplace.

She said: "These draft regulations need to strike the right balance between protecting the privacy of individuals and enabling industry and business to get the maximum benefit from new communications technology.

"These regulations will not lead to significant changes in normal business practice but they will help users of e-commerce to be confident about giving information on the telephone, e-mail or internet."

Trade unions criticised the move, saying it gave companies a free reign to spy on almost every workplace communication.

The Trade Union Congress vowed to challenge the new rules under the Human Rights Act.

Laurie Heselden, TUC campaigns officer for the South East, said: "The RIP Act will permit companies to monitor virtually any workplace communication, giving sweeping powers to snoop on e-mails and phone calls.

"But under the Human Rights Act of October 2, workers have a right to privacy in the workplace."

Mr Heselden said the contradiction between the two pieces of legislation would lead to a "grey area" of doubt which could be a threat to workers.

He said: "Because of the lack of certainty, workers are clearly vulnerable and it is inevitable some workers will suffer disciplinaries or even dismissal because of it."

He pointed out the new rules could lead to a lack of trust between bosses and staff.

He said: "Blanket surveillance of workers' telephone calls and use of e-mails is not consistent with civilised, sophisticated or mature relations between workers and employers."