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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with Ofcom about the adequacy of their existing powers to implement gaining provider-led switching for all communications services.

I meet regularly with Ofcom. Ed Richards in his evidence to the Communications Committee on 18 November 2014 confirmed that Ofcom had the necessary power to deliver gaining provider led switching for mobile services. However the Regulator has stated that they will undertake a review of the consumer experience of switching to identify the most appropriate powers to use, to address consumer protection and competition issues. The Government will assist in this assessment and will work closely with Ofcom to identify any areas where its powers could be improved.