UK broadband orphaned again?

Is it just me that finds the recent transfer of telecoms policy to DCMS a little depressing?  Perhaps I fret too much about semantics but there’s a bit of a clue in Jeremy Hunt’s job title –‘Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport’.  That’s a pretty eclectic brief already, and perhaps not a natural home for issues such as the development of the UK’s next generation broadband infrastructure.

There’s some history here. The Digital Britain Report, essentially the Labour government’s roadmap for the UK’s  broadband future, was published in July 2009 by Stephen Carter, then the Under-Secretary of State for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting.  In spite of its strong steer for UK broadband policy, the White Paper was effectively orphaned when Carter subsequently resigned his ministerial position to pursue a career outside government.  Responsibility for delivering the report’s recommendations then fell to Stephen Timms as a minister within BIS - in addition to his existing position as Financial Secretary to the Treasury (a dual role that attracted considerable criticism).

Under the coalition, the broadband mantle was passed to Jeremy Hunt, the incoming Culture Secretary, but BIS (under Vince Cable) has, until recently, been expanding its own role.  Indeed, this joint departmental parentage was formalised when it was announced that BDUK, the government agency tasked with overseeing broadband deployment, would be “reporting to Ed Vaizey (as a joint DCMS & BIS minister)”.  However, as part of the fallout from Vince Cable’s ‘war on Murdoch’ gaffe, Vaizey reverts to being a straightforward DCMS minister.

Oh well, perhaps once the Olympics are out of the way, telecoms policy will stand more chance of getting the attention it deserves…