"The Digital Economy Bill" - is the consumer footing the bill?

The Telegraph today reports on the British government’s 'impact assessment document' which examines the likely effects of The Digital Economy Bill ('championed by Lord Mandelson'). Also see the IPKat's earlier report here.

The assessment document written by Lord Young (Department for Business Innovation and Skills) and Lord Davies (Department of Culture Media and Sport) predicts that over the next decade consumers will pay about £290 to £500 million "... as ISPs pass their increased costs on to consumers", The Telegraph tells us. The British consumer is likely to foot the bill by having to pay an extra £25 a year to the cost of broadband. At the same time it is estimated that the Bill will result in an additional £1.7 billion for the entertainment industry over the next ten years.

The IPKat wonders.... Is the Bill a good thing? After all, it will be "tackling" illegal file sharers we learn from the No.10 website. Or is it a bad thing? It's "grossly unfair" according to the shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt's comment in The Times. Either way, Merpel thinks that it is not interesting enough a topic to stop her from munching on her left over Christmas cookies.... or is it?

To read the impact assessment document, please click here.