A HAMPSHIRE MP is to start a campaign to outlaw Internet sites that encourage people to kill themselves.

LibDem Mark Oaten has become increasingly concerned about the sites, which cover celebrity suicides of INXS singer Michael Hutchence and Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain, while giving details of the best way for people to take their own lives.

The MP for Winchester is concerned for young people with emotional problems who spend hours surfing the Net. He is writing to trade minister Stephen Byers, who is responsible for the Internet, to ask what can be done about the sites, which mainly originate in America.

Mr Oaten added that he would also be raising questions in the House of Commons when MPs return to Winchester in the autumn.

"The Internet currently seems to be falling outside the law. If this sort of thing were on the television or radio it would not be allowed to be broad-cast," said Mr Oaten.

"The Internet is becoming very popular with young people. There has to be a way of dealing with this sort of material."

Mr Oaten, 35, will also be looking to see if the sites are illegal. The Suicide Act of 1951 makes it an offence to encourage someone to commit suicide and he will also be raising this.

Attempted suicides in England and Wales have risen by 70 per cent since 1990. Attempts by young men have jumped 172 per cent since 1985.

The Samaritans estimate that there are 19,000 suicide attempts each year by people aged under 25.

Spokeswoman for charity Emma Charvet said: "These sites can be damaging. A lot of people who are distressed are emotionally vulnerable and can be influenced. "We give guidelines to the media not to discuss how to commit suicide but the Internet is unregulated."

The Samaritans agree that the Internet can be a useful point of information. This is borne out by 15,000 people using the charity's E-mail service last year.

There are literally thousands of sites that target suicidal people. One search by the Daily Echo using the word "suicide" trawled up 257 sites.

One site has a quarterly journal called Snuff. It which gives technical advice on how to commit suicide.

A chat room on another site enables people to link up and encourage each other with their suicide bids.

Many sites offer information on doctor assisted suicide or information about Euthanasia.

Two suicide attempts in Britain have been linked to the Internet but the problem is much bigger in the USA.

One site asks for ten dollars to join "the church" and then prints an agony aunt column asking for help on how to die.

The Internet Watch Foundation is an organisa-tion which tries to block websites that are against UK law. Call 08456 008844 if you find a site.

The Samaritans are also on the web at: www.samaritans.org.uk.

The current e-mail address for peo-ple to talk to a trained Samaritan listener is jo@samaritans.org

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