Digital Economy Bill: A Response From Nick Raynsford MP

On January 27th 2010, I wrote to Nick Raynsford, MP for Greenwich and Woolwich, asking him how he felt about the Digital Economy Bill. When I finally got a response yesterday, dated 17th March 2010, he told me that he hadn’t been able to reply partly due to not receiving a response from Peter Mandelson about my concerns, and partly because with the Bill having not been discussed by the House of Commons yet, he had not been able to scrutinise it properly — but not to worry because the upcoming General Election and Budget Report would take priority over the Bill meaning that it probably wouldn’t be passed.

I’ve responded to Mr Raynsford, explaining to him that:

• I don’t buy his claim that he didn’t reply to my letter for over six weeks because he was waiting for a reply, because my original question was how he personally felt about the Bill. I didn’t want a response from Peter Mandelson, because I know how he feels already: if he didn’t support the proposals, he surely would not have submitted them in the first place.
• I also don’t buy his claim that he couldn’t scrutinise the Bill properly: I have been perfectly able to do so myself online for many months, and I have been paying attention to the Lords debates on the subject to find out which amendments passed and which didn’t; if I can do that, there is no reason for him not to be able to, especially knowing that his constituents have concerns about the Bill.
• As he failed to tell me how he personally felt about the Digital Economy Bill, he did not answer my question.
• That I am even more concerned about the Digital Economy Bill than I was before, because whilst he thinks it will not be passed, many campaigning organisations, and myself, believe that the Government will rush it through without proper debate before Parliament dissolves.

I have asked for another reply in which he answers my question and assures me that he will demand the Digital Economy Bill is properly debated at his earliest convenience. I hope it takes less than 7 weeks this time.