UK communications minister Carter to leave govt

* Communications minister to step down

* Carter seen as candidate to head ITV

LONDON, June 12 (Reuters) - British communications minster Stephen Carter, due to publish a report on the future of the creative industries next week, will step down from his post in July, the government said on Friday.

There has been speculation that Carter is a candidate for the role of chief executive of commercial broadcaster ITV Plc (ITV.L: Quote, Profile, Research). ITV executive chairman Michael Grade is due to step down from day-to-day duties by the end of the year.

Carter, who sits in the unelected upper house of parliament, joins a list of recent ministerial departures from Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labour government. Last week Brown reshuffled his cabinet after six senior ministers resigned.

Carter will present his "Digital Britain" report to cabinet next Tuesday, the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) said.

The report would be made public "later next week", and Carter would submit an implementation plan before parliament breaks up for its summer recess next month, BERR said.

"We can confirm that he will step down at summer recess with the completion of his work, as originally intended and with the full agreement of the prime minister," BERR said.