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Digital Economy Bill [HL]

My Lords, the reports that we are asking Ofcom to compile under new Sections 134A and 134B of the Communications Act are intended to present a health check on the nation’s communications infrastructure and services. As such, we have thought hard about the matters to be covered in the report and about what it needs to include to enable a good picture to emerge of the state of the nation’s communications infrastructure and services. We have covered the ground thoroughly. Wholesale arrangements, for example, are covered in new subsection (1)(f). I am not sure exactly what is meant in this amendment by "service competition" but new subsection (2)(b) requires the report to cover the different types of services provided in the UK. I turn to the issues around accessing digital services. The ability of all in society to engage with and benefit from digital services is of great importance. The Digital Britain report gave Ofcom a specific role, leading to the Digital Participation Consortium, which brings together the Government, the private sector and the third sector to work to reduce the barriers that people face in getting online. That addresses the concerns that the noble Baroness, Lady Howe, expressed. Barriers relating to infrastructure will already be covered by the report. A report on infrastructure is not the right place for other issues, such as skills, confidence or affordability, to be considered. We expect that the Digital Participation Consortium will shortly publish a national plan for digital participation. Issues around access to digital services will be more properly covered in reports on progress on the national plan. If one looks at the digital, broadband or even the mobile market, one could hardly say that these are not highly competitive environments with a wide range of providers. I am not by any means preaching complacency, otherwise we would not have embarked on a Digital Britain report. We know that we still have work to do to ensure that we do not create what is described as the digital divide. I share and understand the concerns expressed by the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, and the noble Baroness, Lady Howe. We believe that we have the balance right in the current legislation. We also referred the Committee to the Digital Participation Consortium, which will shortly publish a national plan, as I have said. While I do not in any way disagree with the noble Lord about the importance of these issues, I do not agree that they should be a part of the infrastructure report. Therefore, in the light of the reassurance and explanation that I have given, I invite him to withdraw the amendment.