Lord Carter expected to step down

Communications minister Lord Carter is expected to leave his job after the publication of the Digital Britain report next week.

According to reports, Carter will leave the government by the end of the month to return to the private sector.

In an interview with the Times he refused to confirm if he would still be a minister by autumn. “I’m beavering away feverishly on my report, that’s my only preoccupation,” he said.

The Digital Britain report will set out the government’s position on a range of areas including universal broadband and the future of Channel 4 and public service broadcasting.

The news follows the cabinet reshuffle which has seen secretary of state for culture, media and sport, Andy Burnham, appointed health secretary.

Earlier this week, Raymond Snoddy spoke to Burnham about the Digital Britain report for the first in a new series of Newsline articles (see Raymond Snoddy on Digital Britain) and next week Snoddy will be looking at the published report in detail.

Carter was chief executive of Ofcom until 2006, after which he became chief exec of City PR firm Brunswick before joining the government last year.

He is thought to be one of the names in the frame to replace ITV executive chairman Michael Grade, who announced his intention to step back from day-to-day management in April.