Internet Governance Forum
Rehman Chishti MP: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which Government representatives attended the fifth annual Internet Governance Forum meeting; and what the outcome was of discussions on each item of the agenda of that meeting. [17068]
Ed Vaizey MP, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries (joint Minister with Department of Business, Innovation and Skills): The UK Government were represented at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Vilnius by Dr Sue Baxter, Deputy Director, Europe and International Competitiveness Unit, and one other BIS official with responsibility for internet governance policy.
The overall theme of the Vilnius IGF was 'IGF 2010 -Developing the Future Together' with five main sessions which effectively formed the 'agenda' of the meeting:
- managing the internet's critical infrastructure;
- security, openness and privacy;
- access and diversity;
- development; and
- cloud computing.
Preparatory discussions were undertaken in 113 workshops, best practice forums, dynamic coalition meetings and open forums. The Chairman's summary of the full range of issues discussed is accessible at: http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/
The IGF is not a negotiating forum so there are no formal outcomes as such. However, it is clear from the sustained level of support from stakeholders-over 1,450 attendees including representatives from over 90 governments, business experts, civil society representatives, academics, technical experts and parliamentarians, with an additional 600 participating remotely-that the IGF plays an important role in enabling stakeholders to exchange views and best practice on internet public policy.
In particular, the UK Government showcased their policy approach on internet inclusion and an online child protection 'toolkit' developed for those Commonwealth members with little or no legal framework for criminalising access to and distribution of child abuse images.
The UK also held confidential bilateral meetings with Brazil, China and the USA on internet public policy issues and the decision on the future of the IGF to be taken by the UN General Assembly in December.
Source: Hansard 22 October 2010: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101022/text/101022w0002.htm#1010227000096
