Foul mouthed e-mailbox for MPs

MPs' "profanities" are being outlawed

By Ollie Stone-Lee BBC News Online political staff

Well they did say they wanted to engage more with the public...

In the first week since a new e-mail censorship system was introduced more than 900 e-mails sent to the Commons in just a week have been ruled obscene.

The threshold for taking offence must be very low

Paul Tyler
Lib Dem MP

Liberal Democrat frontbench MP Paul Tyler says he is worried people have not been told which words are been screened out of e-mails.

The House of Commons authorities instead insist measures are in place to ensure genuine e-mails are not lost.

Public anger?

In total 908 "inappropriate" e-mails sent from outside Parliament to MPs were blocked by computer software.

Sir Archy Kirkwood, spokesman for the House of Commons Commission, said existing software was being used to screen e-mails at "minimal costs".

Commons authorities recognised "that on occasions, constituents might use strong language: for example, if there are writing about a constituency issue on which they have firm views".

In other cases, people might have suffered from a "bad direct experience", said Mr Kirkwood.

He added: "Incoming e-mails that contain a high proportion of the most offensive obscenities are blocked automatically."

Suspicion

People whose messages are blocked by the system are told so they can arrange for it to get to its intended recipient.

Mr Tyler said the House of Commons was right to consider using an e-mail filter.

But he was suspicious the Commons authorities had not laid out the criteria being used.

"If over 900 messages had to be blocked in the first week then the threshold for taking offence must be very low, or those communicating with MPs must be especially addicted to offensive language," he said.