Competition and Policy (Media, Broadcasting, Digital and Telecoms Sectors)

(Limited Text - Ministerial Extracts only)

Tuesday 18th January 2011 Written Statements

[The Prime Minister (Mr David Cameron)]

Responsibility for all competition and policy issues relating to media, broadcasting, digital and telecoms sectors has been transferred from the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport.

This includes:

merger and competition cases in these sectors;

sponsorship of the telecoms sector, mobile and fixed;

sponsorship of all content industries, including computer games and publishing;

telecoms policy, including implementation of the EU framework;

broadband policy and delivery (including Broadband Delivery UK);

internet policy and governance, including implementation of the Digital Economy Act;

spectrum;

BT Pension Crown Guarantee;

responsibility for sponsorship of Ofcom (except in relation to postal regulation); and

full responsibility for the digital TV switchover and digital radio action plan.

The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills will retain responsibility for postal regulation; sponsorship of telecoms equipment manufacturing and the wider electronics, IT services and software sectors. He will also continue to work with the Cabinet Office as part of the national cyber-security programme.

The Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, formerly a joint Minster, will now report solely to the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport. He will continue to work closely with Ministers in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.