23 March 2005
MPs are being urged to improve the way technology is being used to connect with their constituents.
A new report commission by Telewest found that only one per cent of people have contacted their MP via email but nearly half of the 3,000 people interviewed had home net access and 38 per cent said they would email their MP if they knew their address, reports the BBC.
Other results in the survey showed that almost half (45 per cent) of those interviewed for the thought politicians should use the internet more and 20 per cent said they would be more likely to vote if online voting was available, an interesting figure with election turnabouts falling.
The 18-34 age group were the most enthusiastic about e-voting.
Dr Stephen Ward, a research fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute, and expert on MP's websites told the BBC: "Most offer just standard information and are essentially cyber brochures. Very few offer interactivity."
Christopher Small, director of public sector at Telewest Business said: "The revelation that 45 per cent thought MPs should use more internet communication demonstrates that government needs to evolve its communications infrastructure to meet this need."
Derek Wyatt, who was one of the first MPs to have a website, added: "Any MP worth his or her salt would want a website and email. It is natural to want to communicate as there could be a vote in it."© DeHavilland Information Services plc
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