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By Suzanna Kerridge, 28 July 1999 00:20

NEWS DTI minister, Michael Wills, has hit back at criticism from former Trade Secretary, Peter Mandelson, over the government's handling of ecommerce policy. Speaking at the European Media Forum, Mandelson accused the government of dragging its heels over scrapping the unpopular key escrow policy. But Wills retorted: "The Bill was delayed but it is still ahead of the game. The US has still not got key escrow sorted out yet. But these criticisms are tiny details. There are huge changes in the Bill over the last few months we have been modernising it and giving it a light touch. Key escrow was dead and over in May and we now have an interesting way to work with the industry in partnership." Wills accused his critics of focusing too much on one issue and not viewing the broader implications of the Bill. He said: "People need to raise their eyes a bit. In the last few months we have made incredible steps in getting the infrastructure in place to get the Bill up and running. We've been looking at it bit by bit, but all people do is focus on key escrow." Wills also responded to allegations by the Conservative Party that common law, rather than legislation, should regulate ecommerce. "It's a question of speed. If the government did nothing then trust would develop. People have technological barriers but these would come down over time. The Conservatives say you do not need legislation when common law would deal with this and no doubt it would, but it would take time, years even, as the courts move at glacial speeds and we need speed right now." Mandelson also criticised the government for the "lamentable" delay in appointing an 'e-envoy' to champion ecommerce. The UK's High Commissioner in Australia, Alex Allan, is said to have been offered the job, but a Downing Street spokesman said no announcement is imminent.