Digital Economy Bill: Update from Lynne Jones MP

I just received a rather positive email response from Lynne Jones, my current Labour MP on the Digital Economy Bill. Here it is in full.

Thank you for your email regarding the Digital Economy Bill. I share your concerns about the Bill which the Government is attempting to push through under the process known as wash-up. This means that only those provisions in the bill that has cross-party support will be included. In view of this, it is likely that I will be opposing it at its Second Reading in the House of Commons on 6th April.

I am particularly concerned about measures in the Bill, which would allow the Government to disconnect people it suspects of copyright infringement and I entirely agree with you that the Bill should not be rushed through without proper Parliamentary scrutiny and debate. In my view, it is extremely important that a proper balance is struck between the need for measures to reduce piracy and the need to protect innocent parties who might be falsely thought to have illegally downloaded others' work.

Although I am in favour of proportionate measures to tackle online piracy (it is estimated that half of all the traffic on the net in the UK is content that is shared illegally), it seems clear that the method of identifying offenders using the IP address of a specific computer may well penalise those who share a web connection. As it is impossible to disconnect an individual there is a risk that entire households could be cut off based on the activities of one member. I further note that TalkTalk's Director of Regulation stated that, "Disconnecting alleged offenders will be futile given that it is relatively easy for determined file-sharers to mask their identity or their activity to avoid detection". I am also concerned about the potential impact of the Bill on cafés, pubs and airports that offer Wi-Fi access, which will not be exempt from its proposals. It is my understanding that this will mean that Wi-Fi hot spots could be closed down and businesses prosecuted if it is found that customers have used those networks to download or share illegal or copyrighted material. These issues are complicated and I agree that they need proper examination. Liberty, an organisation that seeks to protect civil liberties and human rights, has outlined significant concerns over the approach taken in this Bill to online infringement of copyright. If you would like to read their briefing document, please click here.

Moving away from issues relating to illegal file-sharing, I am also worried that MPs have not had a chance to properly debate the radio clauses of the Bill. The Government has set a target date of 2015 for national and regional radio stations to switch over from FM and AM, which will mean that radio listeners will have to buy new digital radio sets to replace their FM radios, including those in the car. Ofcom research shows that the average retail price of a new DAB digital radio is £85.00, which is hardly a drop in the ocean, particularly for those who are lower paid or struggling to make ends meet. If, as has been estimated, between 50 and 100 million analogue radios will become redundant after 2015, there are also issues around a suitable industry scrappage scheme and I am very keen that the environmental impact of any significant analogue radio disposal is minimised through a responsible disposal and recycling strategy. I am aware, however, that there may be a greener (and cheaper) option for people who do not want to get rid of their radios, and will instead be able to convert them to digital. I understand that adapters are being planned for this, although they are not available at present, and are likely to cost around £50.00. There will need to be a concerted Government effort to ensure clear information is made available to vulnerable groups such as elderly people to ensure they are properly informed of the changes and their options.

Finally, I am also concerned about how the Bill might affect the future of local radio and I signatory to an Early Day Motion on this point (copy printed below for ease of reference).

I hope this is helpful.

LYNNE JONES MP

House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA

www.lynnejones.org.uk

EDM 436: FUTURE OF LOCAL RADIO
That this House is concerned that the Digital Economy Bill in its present form will threaten the future of local radio by creating a two-tier radio industry in which over 100 local stations, that do not have a clear digital migration path, are consigned to an uncertain future on the analogue spectrum once digital switchover has occurred; notes that, with 46 million adults listening to the radio every week and only three per cent. of listeners expressing dissatisfaction with their present service, radio is thriving in its current form; requests the Government to protect the future of local radio by ensuring that where appropriate, all local radio stations have a viable digital migration path; and calls on the Government to address this before committing the industry to analogue switch-off.

She shall be missed after the election.