EU Draft Digital Signature Directive

[Brian Gladman]

Campaign Against Censorship of the Internet <cacib@liberty.org.uk> wrote

>Unfortunately, due to the way our government works in this country
>collective responsibility and all that) no one in government is _allowed_
to >tate publicly anything other than the official line, even if they wanted
to.


But this doesn't always stop people (fortunately) as Nigel's comment shows.

>However, previous writer's suggestions that responsibility for crypto be
>moved to the FCO would actually be counter-productive; the higher status
>of FCO and "national security" would mean that it would be politicically
>unacceptable for FCO to lose the argument.


Not necessarily since this would depend on how many others round the table
side with the FCO and how many line up against them.  At the moment the
Department that should take the strongest position for the removal of crypto
export contols is almost certainly making less of a case for this than it
could because of its lead role.

I would, however, agree that one danger in an FCO lead would be their
likely willingness to ignore other inputs in the policy formulation process.
I would also agree that they would be less open about policy formulation
than with DTI in the chair.

   Brian