Call to repeal parts of Digital Economy Act gets lukewarm response

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A move by a Liberal Democrat MP to scrap some of the more controversial parts of the Digital Economy Act (DEA) is failing to gain support.

The luke-warm reception to Jeremy Huppert’s Early Day Motion (EDM17) to repeal plans to limit the internet access of alleged illegal file sharers has only gained 34 signatories in a month.

The motion says: "That this House believes that sections nine to 18 of the Digital Economy Act 2010 should not have been rushed through in the dying days of the last Parliament; further believes that these sections have large repercussions for consumers, civil liberties, freedom of information and access to the internet; and calls on the Government to introduce early legislation to repeal those provisions."

The EDM also wants the removal of powers given to the Secretary of State to block websites considered to be involved in copyright infringement.

Thinkbroadband, the independent broadband advice site, said that without solid support it is considered unlikely that any changes to the Act will be made.

“Unfortunately, Early Day Motions rarely make it to being debated in parliament, and are often used as a way of publicising views of MPs.

"With little support for this motion, we are unlikely to see anything changed with regard to the DEA. Voters can encourage their MP to sign the motion by writing to them to take action,” a posting on the Thinkbroadband site suggested.