New Digital Britain minister to replace Carter

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Current Treasury minister Stephen Timms will become communications minister in order to keep the Digital Britain proposals on track, according to a report.

The Guardian said that Timms, financial secretary to the Treasury and MP for East Ham, would work across the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), in addition to the Treasury.

Timms would be a good fit as he has worked in the telecommunications industry for 16 years, first for Logica and then for Ovum. Before his election as an MP, he managed Ovum’s telecommunication reports business.

Lord Stephen Carter, the mastermind behind the Digital Britain report, said in June he would leave after its release.

It means he will not be able to follow up on key issues such as a 2Mbps universal service commitment and a broadband tax for a next-generation broadband network.

BIS said that it could not confirm nor deny Timms' appointment, as it was still “speculation”, while the Treasury has not responded to our request for comment at the time of publication.

Click here for a everything you need to know about the Digital Britain plans.

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