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UK broadband tax and sport list dropped as election looms

April 8, 2010

In the 'wash up' rush to get laws through parliament before dissolution at the end of this week the government has been heavily trimming its Digital Economy Bill.

Most prominent casualty is the £6 (E6.8) pa phone line tax to fund fast broadband. The national rollout of replacement ITV regional news services and giving Ofcom more power also fell by the wayside. The bill will now be rushed through its committee stage and report stage, to be followed by a third reading and final vote in a two-hour Commons debate tonight.

Meanwhile plans to revise the “crown jewels” list of sporting events reserved for free-to-air television have been shelved because of the May 6th election.

Former Football Association chief David Davies headed a review panel set up by the DCMS which came up with recommendations as to what sports should be added to or dropped from the list of special status events.

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