HC Deb 13 November 2001 vol 374 c650W
Mr. Martyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the Government's position on the Telecoms Data Protection Directive (97/66/EC) in relation to unsolicited e-mail. [12380]

Mr. Alexander

There is on-going debate over the application of the current telecoms data protection directive (97/66/EC) to e-mail, and the Government welcome the European Commission's proposal to clarify the position under the new communications data protection directive which will replace it. The UK Government have argued that member states should be allowed to choose between opt-in and opt-out controls. This would allow an assessment of the situation in the light of working experience of both approaches.