Byers was relaying industry concerns about the cost involved in making ISPs pay for the installation of e-mail interceptors. However, the Home Secretary, Jack Straw, yesterday re-iterated his earlier argument in a letter to the Financial Times:
“Contrary to [the British Chamber of Commerce’s] claims, there will be no need for ‘black boxes at all ISPs sending traffic to GTAC’. The Government Technical Assistance Centre will deal with material intercepted under warrant. It will not be used to access communication data.”
Jack Straw also attacks the suggestion that the introduction of the bill could cost £46 billion over five years. He describes it as “literally incredible,” given that the total contribution of e-commerce to the economy is presently about £5 billion.