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.
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.
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No-one at the Labour party's Millbank headquarters could immediately explain their MPs apparent resistance to e-mail.
Only 22% (35 out of 164) of Conservative MPs can be easily contacted via 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.
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.
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