HC Deb 10 January 2002 vol 377 cc972-3W
Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in meeting the Government's commitments(a) in response to recommendation (d) of the Eighth report of the Select Committee on Trade and Industry, UK Online Reviewed: The First Annual report of the E-Minister and E-Envoy, dated March 2001 and (b) in response to recommendation (e) of the Fourteenth report of the Select Committee on Trade and Industry on the Electronic Communications Bill, dated October 1999. [27107]

Mr. Alexander

(a) Progress in response to this commitment was reported on pages 18–19 of the UK Online Annual Report 2001, and in a memorandum to the Select Committee on Trade and Industry dated 20 December. Copies of both documents have been placed in the Library of the House.

(b) Departments have until recently proceeded with the task of identifying statutory requirements of writing for updating on the basis that an order under section 8 of the Electronic Communications Act, or other amending legislation, was necessary to authorise or facilitate electronic communication in fulfilment of the requirement. The Law Commission published an Advice to Government on 19 December which gives a different view on what constitutes 'writing' in the context of electronic communications. The Government are still considering the implications of this advice. The Government have, however, in the light of the advice and other developments, modified their approach to updating the law to authorise or facilitate electronic communication. Their revised policy is set out in the memorandum to the Select Committee on Trade and Industry dated 20 December, which also includes lists of legislation so far identified by Departments for updating.

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