Downloaders not to be cut off after all - but Culture Minister won't be there to see it (not) happen

The BBC reports that, contrary to previous expectations, the Digital Britain report, due out on 16 June, will not call for serial downloaders to lose their broadband access under a 'three strikes and you're out' scheme. Instead, it will propose that the speed of their connections is slowed down. The (soon to be ex) Culture Minister, Andy Burnham said at yesterday's Music Week's Making Online Music Pay conference that the Government preferred to take 'technical measures' against downloaders, rather than cutting down their access. A spokesman later clarified:

"It is likely to include an obligation on ISPs to send out letters to people who are infringing copyright...What Mr Burnham also said was there was the likelihood that the MoU would be backed up by new powers for Ofcom to impose 'technical solutions' for repeat offenders if that process of sending out letters was not effective enough".

However, Andy Burnham is Culture Minister no longer, with Ben Bradshaw stepping into the role (also on the move is John Denham, the Secretary of State for the Department of Innovation, University and Skills, the parent department for IP matters).

The IPKat favours the move. Broadband access is increasing required to access goods and services and completely severing peoples' connections would seem rather too punitive. If the technical solution works, it could be a nice compromise. However, the timing of the launch of the report seems rather poor, with the new Minister being in the post for something like a week and a half.