People in rural England are at risk of being left behind in the roll out of digital services, a government watchdog has warned. The Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) warned people living outside urban areas would be left behind in access to broadband unless there was a firm commitment to improving communications access. The commission raised concerns in response to the Government's Digital Britain White Paper, published last week. Mind the gap? Digital England: A rural perspective urged the Government to ensure an effective and sustainable communications future for rural England. The report includes an independent analysis of rural connectivity issues. The CRC was set up by the Government to represent rural communities at Whitehall level, with a key focus on disadvantage. Dr. Stuart Burgess, chairman of the CRC and the Government's rural advocate, said: ‘Issues highlighted in this report are those which rural communities themselves have consistently told us they face when trying to access digital communications.'