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Digital Economy Bill [HL]

My Lords, as ever, the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, is helpful. However, we are straining at a narrow point. All we are indicating—I hope there is agreement—is that we want investment on the whole, of course, to be efficient. However, a universal provision will carry at times a potential for marginal costs which do not meet the criteria of efficient, economic or any the other concepts we may use to demonstrate levels of efficiency. All that the "wherever possible" element introduces is some recognition that the public good might be served rather than the narrower concept of economic efficiency. The noble Lord, Lord Fowler, is better placed than anyone in the House to know the extent to which Ofcom has general duties with regard to the interests of the citizen and the consumer, an issue that was raised earlier today. This is merely recognition that at times this may condition investment that does not have an immediate and even potential direct payoff to investment.