New IT minister to produce report on digital convergence

Carter: seeking a unified framework

Stephen Carter, Gordon Brown's old PR supremo now moved to the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, will spearhead an action plan to put the UK at the forefront of the digital and communications industries, it was announced today.

Carter, who is the first minister for communications, technology and broadcasting and was previously head of Ofcom, will produce a report that will look at the state of broadband, digital radio, spectrum, IT skills, digital broadcasting and intellectual property in the UK.

The aim is to put these industries at the forefront of a 21st century economy, said Carter.

"We will seek to bring forward a unified framework to help maximise the UK's competitive advantage and the benefits to society," he said.

Information and communications technologies and broadcasting together account for 5.9 per cent of GDP, with a turnover of over £52bn a year. Some 500,000 people are employed in these sectors in the UK.

The government wants to align its policies to take advantage of digital convergence which will involve the merging of the individual communications industries (IT, broadcasting and telecoms) into one, said culture secretary Andy Burnham.

"We need to move quickly if we are to maximise the benefits of convergence. Over the last year we've worked with experts to get a clear understanding of the issues to address and obstacles to overcome if our businesses and citizens are to take full advantage of technology," he said.

The strategy is designed to secure four key conditions that will help benefit the economy: open markets; empowered and informed consumers and citizens; universal access to public service content; and a responsive regulatory framework.

The Digital Britain report will be published in spring 2009.