§ Mr. RoweTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to ensure that major publications from his Department are accompanied by a simultaneous electronic release of the text on the Internet. [37235]
§ Mr. HowardMy Department's plans to ensure that major publications are accompanied by simultaneous release on the Internet are quite well advanced. A departmental home page went live on the Internet last March. Two recent consultation documents have been loaded on to the site—"Proposed European Community (EC) Data Protection Directive (95/46/EC)"; and "Stalking: The Solutions—A Consultation Paper". The proposed EC directive will be taken off this week because the closing date for responses is 19 July.
I support developments in publishing suitable information by electronic means and my Department plans to release through the Internet all future consultation documents and other major publications.
The Department's immigration and nationality directorate and the research and statistics directorate have their own home pages. These include summarised background information.
All Home Office material on the Internet can be reached through the main home page on www.open.gov.uk/home_off/hofront.htm
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