Clause 148 - United Kingdom plan for frequency authorisation
Communications Bill
10:15 am
Mr Stephen Timms (Minister of State (e-Commerce & Competitiveness), Department of Trade and Industry; East Ham, Labour)
The production of the plan is a new requirement following from article 5 of the authorisation directive. In the UK, Ofcom will have a duty to provide this plan. The clause requires that the plan to be published and updated regularly, as the hon. Member for Lichfield said. I would not want to constrain those who are responsible in Ofcom by what I say about frequency. The Radiocommunications Agency publishes its spectrum strategy approximately every two years. That is broadly what I expect will happen with the plan. The agency coordinates that publication with the world radio conferences.
The plan will give details of which parts of the spectrum are available for assignment. I will list all the authorisations made by license exemption regulations, with references to the frequencies and the conditions of the regulations. That information will help to make sure that spectrum management is transparent. It will be very useful for those wanting to use the radio spectrum for whatever purpose. They will be able to see at a glance if they need a license in order to use a particular frequency, which frequency is available for assignment and for which applications. This information is published, in a different form, in the spectrum strategy I referred to.
I would not want the hon. Member for Lichfield to expect much detail in the plan when it is published. The plan, for example, will not show which individuals have been awarded licenses although, under clause 165 on the wireless telegraphy register, that will complement the plan by enabling Ofcom to publish information about assignments, subject to suitable safeguards for security and commercial confidentiality.
Will it set out what will happen in future? No. What the plan will contain is clearly set out in subsection (2). Ofcom will want to make available whatever information it can about envisaged changes, in order to assist those who need to plan operations in response. The constraints set out in subsection (2) are a necessary requirement of the plan. Ofcom, if possible, will provide further information, not necessarily in this plan, but elsewhere.