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Ministers and EC lock horns over telecom laws
News At the Telecommunications Council meeting in Luxembourg this week, ministers including the UK's e-minister Patricia Hewitt discussed the regulatory framework for electronic communications. Parliament, however, agrees with the EC and both minister...
[April 6, 2001, 15:03]
Government backs industry broadband strategy
News In a written statement to the House of Commons, e-minister Stephen Timms said: "Broadband in the UK has really taken off over the last year. E-minister Timms pointed out that over 32,000 people and businesses are signing up to broadband every week...
[March 21, 2003, 9:34]
Library Wi-Fi trials primed to launch
News E-commerce minister Stephen Timms announced during his speech at the "Revolution at the Edge: Broadband Networks and Innovation" conference in London on Wednesday that the trials would start soon. The minister for energy, e-commerce and postal...
[January 28, 2004, 16:15]
UK defies US on software patents
News the e-minister Patricia Hewitt announced on Monday that the UK will not change its patent law. Patent law is harmonised under the European Patent Convention, and we shall be recommending the conclusions we have reached to our European partners...
[March 12, 2001, 11:47]
Rupert Goodwins' Diary
Blog As e-commerce minister seems to be a place to park bright young things on their way up, it tends to see a lot of new blood: Douglas Alexander gets the Cabinet Office, and his place is filled by another Stephen -- Timms, this time.
[May 31, 2002, 11:19]
World Internet Forum cancelled
News The government's e-commerce minister Patricia Hewitt was to make a keynote speech extolling the excellence of Britain's e-commerce strategy. He also suggests than there could be too many e-commerce events in the UK currently vying for attention.
[November 10, 2000, 15:10]
2000 Roundup: August is hot for health
News The bad news is that mobile phones may well be affecting your health (that depends entirely on whether or not you actually believe what our e-minister says and whether you believe the research efforts by the Consumer Association, either way, no...
[January 1, 2001, 6:17]
UK 'unlikely' to meet online target for SMEs
News The report was presented to e-Commerce minister Douglas Alexander on Monday, and suggests that the target should be scrapped in favour of tackling cybercrime, improving access to broadband services and boosting public confidence in e-commerce.
[November 20, 2001, 10:27]
BT's Wi-Fi service in the dock
News This announcement comes just a day after e-commerce minister Stephen Timms talked up a similar trial across the UK library network. Courts minister Christopher Leslie said on Thursday that London's Royal Court of Justice -- which is made up of the...
[June 17, 2004, 16:40]
Demon Case: ISPA moves to defend ISPs
News ISPA has written to Trade and Industry Minister Michael Wills, DTI chiefs and the all-party Parliamentary Internet Group to arrange an urgent meeting. The Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) today warned government ministers and the DTI...
[March 29, 1999, 14:50]
European leaders to agree Internet strategy
News E-Minister Patricia Hewitt, recently returned from a tour of US high tech companies, is hopeful the EU summit will help put Europe on the Internet map. The EU will recommend adoption by member states of the E-commerce directive, which sets the...
[March 24, 2000, 10:21]
Blair called to stick to telecoms commitment
News Since then however, both Oftel and e-minister Patricia Hewitt have defended BT's decision to delay unbundling until July. At a heads of state conference in Portugal in March the prime minister signed up to an European Commission regulation calling...
[October 18, 2000, 12:03]
BT's Bonfield rejects calls for lower ADSL prices
News In a move that will disappoint those hoping for cheaper high-speed access -- including e-commerce minister Douglas Alexander -- Bonfield claimed that it didn't make sense for a commercial organisation such as BT to lower the cost of ADSL, at least...
[October 3, 2001, 13:06]
MPs call for BT breakup
News If they think this is going to placate Patricia Hewitt [the e-Minister] they are mistaken," he said. While shadow technology minister Alan Duncan stops short of calling for a break-up, he is sceptical about the new tariff.
[November 12, 1999, 14:53]
Government fears digital divide is growing
News E-minister Patricia Hewitt announced a £5.5m incubator fund to be targeted at deprived areas of the country in order to encourage the development of new Internet businesses. At the Local Government Association's Economic Regeneration Conference in...
[November 22, 2000, 15:58]
CBI demands action on cybercrime
News Douglas Alexander, the e-commerce minister based at the DTI, is responsible for promoting the growth of e-commerce in the UK, but Internet crime -- especially any changes in relevant criminal law -- would be handled by the Home Office.
[August 29, 2001, 12:20]
Jane Wakefield: BT admits it's good to surf
News The e-Minister, bless her, is forever banging on about the need for greater competition in the telco market and gave her biggest hint yet that she wants unmetered access. Oh yes, the BT boys and girls say casually without any hint of irony, that...
[October 29, 1999, 13:26]
MPs urge more action on wireless broadband
News Several other MPs backed this point, and two urged e-commerce minister Stephen Timms to make the 2GHz band available to telcos. According to Sir George, the government has failed thus far to give out full details of how it will deliver broadband to...
[March 26, 2003, 8:05]
2000 Roundup: The saga of unbundling BT's network
News A day later Patricia Hewitt, the e-minister, interviewed on a train by ZDNet News, rushed to defend both BT and Oftel over the issue but hoped that the timetable could be speeded up by a couple of months.
[January 3, 2001, 6:12]
Jane Wakefield: Come on BT, free the Net
News Wednesday CUT found a new friend in e-Minister Patricia Hewitt. Analysts , Internet businesses and users all agree that e-commerce can't really get off its feet until usage is free. It's time to celebrate as the Internet turns thirty this week.
[October 25, 1999, 14:03]
