Although all of the 11 petitions will soon have been debated in either the Commons or Westminster Hall, the first debate prompted by an e-petition was notable for the failure of participating MPs to address directly the e-petitioners' demand for rioters to be stripped of benefits payments.
Since anyone in the press gallery can see the glow of i-phones and i-pads as MPs tweet and e-mail through debates, that last one is more a case of catching up with reality than breaking through into the 21st century.
BBC: Viewing guide: The coming week's highlights in Parliament
Ministers responded to criticism of a perceived lack of parliamentary time for MPs to debate e-petitions by introducing a new, regular slot for such debates in MPs' secondary debating chamber, Westminster Hall, on Mondays.
No-one at the Labour party's Millbank headquarters could immediately explain their MPs apparent resistance to e-mail.
Coupled to this were the ongoing and costly delays - it is already six years behind schedule - and problems where e-records have been installed, the MPs added.
He also launched a strong defence of plans to allow British intelligence agencies greater access to e-mail and internet communications data, telling MPs it was a necessary move in the fight against terrorism.
Only 22% (35 out of 164) of Conservative MPs can be easily contacted via e-mail.
But MPs did not discuss the central premise of the e-petition in any detail.
Sir Muir was asked by MPs why he didn't ask specifically if e-mails had been deleted, something that could contravene Freedom of Information laws.
But Mrs May has now told MPs they are tied up with the troubled "e-borders" scheme, which could take a further three years, or more, to fully set-up.
MPs on the committee were taking evidence following leaking of e-mails and data from the unit in 2009.
The policy has caused heated debate, with backbench MPs securing a parliamentary debate on the issue in the wake of an e-petition which has been signed by more than 150, 000 people.
应用推荐