Written question asked by Lord Bellingham (Conservative) on Tuesday, 14 October 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 22 October 2003. It was answered by Stephen Timms (Labour) on Wednesday, 22 October 2003 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to protect British businesses from unsolicited e-mails; and if she will include measures to protect businesses when the relevant EC directive is implemented later this year. - Including ref to privacy-and-Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 (SI 2003 No 2426).

Answer: Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to protect British businesses from unsolicited e-mails; and if she will include measures to protect businesses when the relevant EC Directive is implemented later this year. [132850] Mr. Timms: The EU Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communications has been implemented in the UK by the Privacy-and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 (SI 2003 No 2426), which come into force on 11 December this year. The Regulations will introduce opt-in consent requirements for unsolicited e-mail marketing to individual subscribers, including sole traders and some partnerships. The Government decided not to extend the opt-in consent right to corporate subscribers (including limited companies) because of concerns about the impact on business to business marketing, but the Government's response to consultation on the new rules has made it clear that we are prepared to review this in the light of working experience of the new rules. Subscribers of all kinds will benefit from a requirement in the Regulations not to send commercial e-mail which disguises or conceals the identity of the person on whose behalf it is sent, or does not provide a valid address to which a request that communications cease may be sent.

Secondary information