§ Mrs. Anne CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to be able to receive and respond to communications via electronic mail.
§ Mr. SackvilleElectronic mail is used throughout the Department of Health and its agencies. However, there are no immediate plans for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to receive or respond to external communications by electronic mail.
The Department of Health is consulting widely to determine how best to develop electronic mail links with other Government Departments, organisations and electronic networks. These discussions are part of a wider study on external communications.
The Department will consider establishing electronic mail links with external contacts only when it is sure that it can receive and respond to electronic mail communications effectively without risking the security of confidential or personal information.