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Digital Economy Bill [HL]

My Lords, I agree with everything that has been said so far. I have added my name to Amendment 66, but I should also have added it to Amendment 65 as the two amendments are slightly parallel. I certainly think that information on instituting a right of appeal has to be there up front. I hit this recently on a parking infringement in Milton Keynes where they offer you a 50 per cent discount if you pay within two weeks. It mentions appeal but does not tell you how to do it. It then turns out they will tell you only once your discount period has expired. This is in order to bully you into paying up front without going to appeal, because otherwise it will cost you more. Hiding these things would be counterproductive and is not good for the citizen. The right of appeal has to be there. Therefore, I should like to add my name to the amendment proposed by the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, on that. Regarding this part of the Bill, the Minister has repeatedly said, "We hope that we don’t have to go as far as technical measures; that is the ‘in extremis’ position. We have to get this solved by the early letters". You have to make the stick apparent; otherwise people are not going to pay any attention to those letters. That is why I added my name to Amendment 66.