Clause 78 - European Commission's powers in
Communications Bill
6:30 pm
Mr Brian White (North East Milton Keynes, Labour)
I have expressed concern in the past about the regulators' club, which was set up as a result of the framework directive. Clause 79 contains rules about the way in which Ofcom relates to the European Commission. Ofcom will be part of the regulators' club, which may be a cosy arrangement or a properly functioning interaction between the regulators. What is the relationship between the regulators' club and the UK Government? How does the regulators' club relate to the European Commission, and is it involved in the determination of the information that is reported to the European Commission? What is the role of the meeting of the regulators? What is their jurisdiction?
If the answer to that question is none—as I hope it will be—my question is what arrangements are in place to make sure that an old boys' club in which information is quietly exchanged does not come into existence. There are a number of ways to deal with companies with significant market power. I am thinking of the way in which the German regulator has had a cosy relationship with Deutsche Telekom in the roll-out of broadband in order to promote broadband. That is contrary to the spirit of competition, which the European Union has been pushing. This country has a particular interaction with the Republic of Ireland, and clause 79 talks about definitions of the market. I wonder how Ofcom would relate to the European Union if the market were not only the UK but the UK and Ireland.