Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to his Department's strategy paper Connectivity, Content and Consumers, what powers (a) his Department and (b) Ofcom have to implement the policy of establishing gaining provider led switching (i) for mobile and (ii) across other communications services.

The Communications Act 2003 confers functions on Ofcom to make provisions about the regulation of the provision of electronic communications services. Section 45 of the Act gives Ofcom the power to set general conditions on service providers. Section 51 specifies that one of the reasons for imposing such conditions is to protect the interests of consumers of electronic communications services. These statutory powers apply to all electronic communication services and there is therefore no doubt that Ofcom has sufficient powers to make provision for a gaining provider led model for voice and data services switched between mobile network operators and voice and broadband services switched over the KCOM copper network.