House of Lords email debate reveals 'spam' confusion

Fears that government may not have a finger on the pulse of modern technology were exposed in the House of Lords yesterday, as some Lords debated unsolicited spam email, while others discussed the tinned meat of the same name.

Lord Sainsbury headed the debate into draft regulations for the limitation of spam and may have muddied the waters somewhat, given his past as a supermarket baron.

However, confusion with the tinned meat appeared to be a genuine obstacle to serious discussion for some Lords in attendance. Lord Renton asked: "Will the Minister explain how it is that an inedible tinned food can become an unsolicited email, bearing in mind that some of us wish to be protected from having an email?"

While Lord Sainsbury admitted to not knowing the answer to this question he did at least appear to grasp the severity of the problem facing IT departments and email users the length and breadth of the country.

"I am afraid that I have not been able to find out why the term "spam" is used, but that is the meaning it now has," he said. "It is a matter that should be taken very seriously because it not only clutters up computers but involves a great deal of very unpleasant advertising to do with easy credit, pornography and miracle diets.

"That is offensive to people, and we should try to reduce it."

Lord Mitchell also supported Sainsbury's concerns. He said: "Spam, whether it is nuisance advertising or hardcore pornography is literally choking the internet."

The draft regulations state that under new legislation unsolicited emails may only be sent to individuals for the purpose of direct marketing with their prior consent, except where there is existing customer relationship between the sender and the addressee.

Consultation on the draft regulations started on 27 March and will run until 19 June.