To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the threat to the integrity of the internet posed by the incidence of spam e-mails; and what measures she proposes to combat spamming. [119421]

Bulk untargeted e-mails can cause serious offence and nuisance to the recipients and cause problems for internet service providers whose networks can be blocked or slowed down. The Government will be introducing stricter rules on unsolicited commercial e-mail under the Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communications and draft Regulations are available for consultation until 19 June. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House and are also available on the DTI website at: www.dti.gov.uk/industries/econommunications/directive_on_privacy_electronic_ communications_200258ec