§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department established its Internet site; what representations he has received and what data he has collated on the use and utility of the site; and what steps he is taking to increase the amount of information via the site. [19144]
§ Mr. HowardMy Department established an Internet site for its research and statistical department in March 1995, and a home page for the Department generally in March 1996. Home Office press notices, and those of the National Criminal Intelligence Service and the Police Complaints Authority, became available on a linked server provided by the Central Office of Information in April 1995.
Feedback is received by those responsible for the content of the site through electronic mail, and taken into account when updating or developing the site. The Central Computing and Telecommunications Agency extracts data on the use made of the site from the server log weekly, and sends it to my Department where it is collated and analysed.
214WA programme has been carried out to raise awareness of the Internet as a medium for publication of information and a number of additional documents are being added to the site according to a planned schedule. As part of this programme, the site is being extensively reorganised and the home page address will shortly move to http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk in order to improve access to and navigation of these documents.