HC Deb 25 January 2002 vol 378 cc1181-2W
Mr. Grogan

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on progress on implementing the European electronic signatures directive. [31314]

Ms Hewitt

Further to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for South Derbyshire (Mr. Todd) on 20 July 2001,Official Report, column 610W, I can now announce that the discussion document referred to in that answer is now being issued and copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

This clearly has not happened as quickly as I had hoped when my hon. Friend the Minister for E-Commerce and Competitiveness replied to my hon. Friend. This delay has been occasioned by developments in the Government's approach to updating the law to facilitate electronic communications referred to in my hon. Friend the Minister for E-Commerce and Competitiveness' reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on 10 January 2002, Official Report, column 971W.