Britons could see their mobile phone bills soar after Brexit as ministers have refused to commit to keeping the ban on roaming charges, MPs have today warned.

The charges were axed by the EU but after Brexit it will be up to individual phone companies to decide whether or not to reimpose them.

While the proposed price caps for international calls between EU countries, due initially to be set at 16p a minute for calls and 5p for a text message, will also not apply in Britain.

The EU decided to introduce the cap after finding that telecoms companies were charging mark-ups for international calls that were 'not justifiable', said the report.

Britons could see their mobile phone bills soar after Brexit as ministers have refused to commit to keeping the ban on roaming charges, the EU scrutiny committee (pictured in parliament) have warned

The House of Commons EU Scrutiny Committee warned: 'It is probable that mobile roaming charges - abolished on an intra-EU basis - will return, and that, even where they do not, increased wholesale roaming costs incurred by UK providers may be passed on to UK consumers indirectly.'

They advised phone users: 'Post-exit, consumers should consider the roaming policies of their mobile operators extremely carefully before signing new contracts or using roaming services, as there will be potential for roaming charges much higher than those which preceded the EU's latest regulatory intervention to be applied.'

They said that charges may not necessarily go up because ministers could decide to step in and legislate, or some phone companies may not reimpose them.

However, it warned: 'The Government cannot prevent operators from incurring these increased costs, which may over time be passed on to consumers by a variety of means, (for example) higher contract costs.'

The Government has said that UK mobile operators are not believed to have any current plans to change their approach to roaming after Brexit.

But the committee warned that this 'may not be sustainable' as EU providers will be free to increase the wholesale charges they apply to British-based networks.

The EU's decision to axe roaming charges and the proposed price caps for international calls between EU countries, due initially to be set at 16p a minute for calls and 5p for a text message, will also not apply in Britain (file pic)

'There may be an incentive for them to do so, as more UK consumers holiday in the EU27 than vice-versa, and UK consumers are more inclined to use large amounts of roaming data when abroad than their European counterparts,' said the report.

'If this comes to pass, higher operating costs will either have to be absorbed by mobile operators or passed on to consumers in one form or another - for example, higher wholesale roaming charges could be passed on to consumers through higher overall prices, rather than through the reintroduction of roaming charges.'

The committee warned of confusion between 'roam like at home' offers made by commercial companies, where the cost of roaming is priced into a more expensive product, and the EU's 'Roam like at Home' regime under which it is a legal requirement for all contracts to allow consumers to use domestic mobile allowances throughout the EU without surcharges.

Alex Neill, managing director of home services at the Which? consumer website, said: 'Two thirds of people think it is important that free roaming exists when travelling in the EU, so the news that we could face the return of sky-high charges to use our phones abroad will come as a real blow.

'If the Government is to deliver a Brexit that works for consumers, it needs to not only maintain free-roaming across the EU, but also look to extend the benefit of free-roaming for people visiting countries worldwide.'