Politicians resist electronic evolution

Technology and tradition do not mix well

Fear of technology and tradition are preventing Britain's MPs from using e-mail to keep in touch with constituents.

A survey has found that only 10% of politicians conduct a quarter or more of their correspondence via e-mail.

The vast majority still prefer to use post and many respond to electronic messages with a written letter the survey also showed.

Only one of the MPs questioned used e-mail for more than 75% of their correspondence.

Virus fear

The research was carried out by training and recruitment firm Parity following work showing some MPs how to make better use of computer technology.

"It became clear that something as basic as e-mail that we take for granted is something they are having a great deal of difficulty with grasping," said Rick Bacon, managing director Parity, "not just in terms of technology, but also in their day to day work."

Familiarity with technology is essential, particularly if they are going to communicate with the voting population of tomorrow

Rick Bacon, Parity

The survey showed that although MPs in the Palace of Westminster are well equipped with technology and all of them have an official e-mail address, few are enthusiastic converts to electronic messaging.

The survey showed that 75% prefer their constituents to communicate the old-fashioned way - by letter.

A few British politicians have turned off their e-mail accounts completely and will not accept electronic messages.

Other MPs fear that more use of e-mail will lead to them being infected with viruses or getting lots of junk mail.

Mr Bacon said the MPs had well established procedures for dealing with written letters and tended to treat e-mail the same way.

Taking their time

In some cases the assistants and secretaries for MPs are printing out e-mail messages and putting them in the pile of letters that need answering.

Mr Bacon said this could mean it took an MP four weeks to answer e-mail messages - about the same amount of time they took to respond to a letter.

The lengthy response time and formalities of letter writing were becoming increasingly inappropriate at a time when more than 43% of the British population were online, said Mr Bacon.

"Familiarity with technology is essential, particularly if they are going to communicate with the voting population of tomorrow," said Mr Bacon.

"When did a teenager last write a letter?" he asked, "they are not going to do it."