Mandelson sets out IT responsibilities

Mandelson: outlining responsibilities

Newly-appointed business secretary Peter Mandelson has split the responsibility for IT issues among three ministers in the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform that he inherited in Gordon Brown's cabinet reshuffle.

Communications, technology and broadcasting minister Stephen Carter, who is also a minister in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, has responsibility for "electronics and IT services" as well as "communications and content industries", covering most generic IT companies as well as ISPs and web media companies.

Employment relations and postal affairs minister Pat McFadden has been put in charge of "transformational government" issues, although only as they relate to business.

Tom Watson remains minister responsible for transformational government, and the coordination for the initiative will still come from the Cabinet Office.

Economic and business minister Ian Pearson's portfolio includes "waste electrical and electronic equipment issues", meaning compliance with the WEEE and Reduction of Hazardous Substances directives.

Confusingly, these laws are policed by the Environment Agency, which is a non-departmental public body of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.