The Minister for Digital Britain Stephen Timms has told BBC News that the controversial broadband tax should be law before the next election. The £6 per year tax will apply to everyone with a fixed line telephone.

Mr Timms said’ We want to make high speed networks nationally available. The next generation fund will help that and we will legislate for it this side of a general election’. He confirmed the Governments commitment to the charge and to other recommendations made by Lord Carter in the recent Digital Britain report.

There had been some speculation that it would be shelved but that is apparently not so.

However John Whittingdale Tory MP said the 50 pence per month tax would be opposed by the Conservatives. He said ‘ I object to it on the basis that it is another tax and is aimed at people who are using old technology’

Mr Timms reportedly told BBC news ‘ It is full steam ahead’. He denied the report had been sidelined.