WHITEHALL departments are making ever greater use of the internet to dish out information.

Requests for even the most basic detail are often greeted with the grunt: Have you checked our website?

Of course, there are many benefits such as not having the fax machine clogged up with sheet after sheet of information.

But it can also arouse suspicion, with some MPs fearing it is a device for sneaking out pieces of information that the Government is less keen to see publicised.

This was an accusation levelled by Peter Luff over the publication of the code of practice on the relationship between suppliers and supermarkets to farmers and growers

He joined Friends of the Earth in condemning the way in which the Government sneaked out the code which they described as a surrender to the interests of big retailers and a sell-out of the needs of suppliers via the internet.

Mr Luff has subsequently done some work on where exactly on the internet the code can be found. And it turns out he may have a point.

The address is:

http://213.38.88.195/coi/coipress.nsf/2b45e1e3ffe090ac802567350059d840/daf1a

8bea5f0a34280256af6005e2c28?OpenDocument

The MP mused: It is a catchy address, isn't it?