The government has extended the consultation period on the proposed monitoring of email, it emerged today.

The Home Office had been unequivocal in its desire to see the RIP act in force before 2 October. But following the barrage of criticism that the bill has received, the DTI has conceded a further three weeks to discuss the finer points.

The move has been welcomed by industry figures and lawyers, who think that radical changes will still have to be made to protect employers from breaching the European Human Rights Act - due to come in force on... surprise, surprise... 2 October - leaving them vulnerable to legal action by employees.

The Alliance for Electronic Business [who they? Ed] said that it would condemn the government's approach as totally impracticable and impossible to comply with. ®