Hansard Society Report on MPs Internet Use

There's a report published by the Hansard Society which shows that MPs are getting slightly better and transmitting messages on the internet, but they're not so hot at receiving them. Online engagement is still pretty poor.

MPs’ responsiveness (source: WriteToThem.com and www.hansardsociety.org.uk)

Year Emails sent ave per MP
2005 29,976 46
2006 62,033 95
2007 88,200 135

This chart was on the website above, I just worked out the average number of emails this would represent myself, and its very low. Imagine only responding to 135 emails a year, thats only a couple a week! And a staggering 8% of MPs dont even have an email! Talk about Luddites.



Summary of survey in numbers:
• 92% of MPs use email
• 83% of MPs have a personal website
• 23% of MPs use social networking
• 11% of MPs blog
• Younger MPs (born after 1960) are highest users (38%); Older MPs (born before 1940) are lowest users (14%)
• MPs elected in or after 2005 are highest users (40%); MPs elected in or before 1986 are lowest users (5%)
• The marginality of a constituency has little affect until the MP’s majority exceeds 30% - when there is a sharp decline in adoption