The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) said the clause allows the government to act if illegal downloaders develop new ways of obtaining material in the future.

"Business will not wake up one morning to a world in which government has taken extensive digital powers," said the BIS.

"There are substantial constraints on how the power can be used, with requirements for a consultation and votes in both houses of Parliament before anything can happen. Also, the powers can not be used to create or modify a criminal offence."

Carter compared the so-called Broadband tax to the television licence. "As a country we are still broadly willing, with some notable objectors, to spend £142.50 per household per annum, with appropriate exemptions for certain households, in a hypothecated tax called the licence fee to provide us with high quality public service British content," he said.

"It seems a credible proposition that we should be more than willing to invest £6 per household per annum, with appropriate exemptions for certain households, to facilitate and accelerate our infrastructure upgrade."