The former solicitor general Vera Baird warned the case put Britain back "probably about 30 years".

Mr Wright said the subject was of "concern" and suggested the law and guidance around the admission of a complainant's sexual history in criminal trials could be reformed.

Speaking in Attorney General Questions in the Commons, Mr Wright said: "There is concern here and we need to accept that that concern is sensible and deal with it. I think what we need to look at is a number of things.

"We need to understand more about the decision in this particular case, we need to understand whether a change in the law is appropriate, and if not whether it is sensible to look at the guidance that is given to judges about when this evidence is admissible and the guidance that judges give to juries about how that evidence should be used.