The government’s suggestion that the BBC should be part of the drive to make broadband universal in the UK would distort markets and distract the broadcaster from its main purpose in making programmes, British Sky Broadcasting said on Thursday. In its submission to the Digital Britain review headed by Lord Carter, the communications minister, BSkyB said the operations of the market should be allowed to meet the UK’s needs.

In the interim version of its report, Lord Carter’s team suggested that the BBC could use money from the licence fee to help promote the adoption of broadband by the 40 per cent of the population who still do not have it.