Brown aide Lord Carter' to quit the Government'

Gordon Brown's communications minister is to quit the Government, it was claimed today.

Lord Carter of Barnes is due to return to work in the private sector, according to The Times.

If true, it will raise fresh questions over the Prime Minister's use of peerages for his Goat (government-of-all-the-talents) administration.

Mr Brown has been criticised for giving 10 peerages to individuals so they can become ministers.

Lord Carter, 45, reportedly gave up a £500,000 salary as chief executive of City PR firm Brunswick to be MrBrown's £140,000-a-year chief of strategy.

However, he was elevated to the Lords after losing a battle in No10 against other advisers.

Lord Carter, whose report Digital Britain is due to be published shortly, was said to have told the Prime Minister he would carry on working as a minister until next month.

The peer, who was previously chief executive of broadcasting watchdog Ofcom, reportedly denied that he already has a job to go to in the private sector but did not rule out that he will have left government by the autumn.