Tories want to scrap telecoms watchdog Ofcom

No more Ofcom, say Tories

Conservative party leader David Cameron has announced plans to scrap communications regulator Ofcom should the Tories win the next General Election.

The move is part of a wider policy to cut public sector spending by reducing the number of quangos – non-governmental organisations set up to watch over various areas of public and business life.

Ofcom is responsible for regulating telecoms and many other digital industries, as well as the broadcasting sector.

Cameron said the Tories would hand the policy-making functions of Ofcom back to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

“The problem today is that too many state actions, services and decisions are carried out by people who cannot be voted out by the public, by organisations that feel no pressure to answer for what happens in a way that is completely unaccountable,” he said.

The government’s Digital Britain strategy, announced last month, foresees Ofcom taking on additional responsibilities and playing a central role in the rollout of the plan, which covers universal broadband, fibre-optic connectivity implementation, more sale of radio spectrum, changes to mobile operators’ 3G licences, and various other initiatives affecting the digital and creative industries.

Ofcom's operating budget for 2009/10 is £136.8m.