Treasury minister to lead ‘Digital Britain’
By Liz Stephens
Treasury minister Stephen Timms is to take charge of delivering the plan for the future of the UK digital industry.
Mr Timms, who will remain as financial secretary to the Treasury, will report in the new role to business secretary Lord Mandelson and culture secretary Ben Bradshaw
The Digial Britain blueprint was previously led jointly by the Department of Culture Media and Sport and Lord Mandelson’s department but the appointment of Mr Timms places the leadership for the implementation closer to number 10.
The Digital Britain blueprint was published in June by ex-communications minister Lord Carter and the appointment of Mr Timms is likely to ease ministerial concerns that the plans were losing momentum following the resignation of Lord Carter.
The plan includes a proposed £6-a-year levy on all phone lines to pay for the next generation broadband.
It also plans to make broadband access available to all by 2012.
But perhaps the most controversial aspect of the plans is the proposed funding of a partnership between BBC Worldwide and Channel 4 to help secure the latter’s long-term future and the top-slicing of the licence fee to pay for regional news.
Channel 4 announced today that it would be cancelling its lunchtime news programmes and ending its More 4 news service due to funding problems.
Mr Timms is a former e-commerce minister who previously worked in the telecommunications sector.
