§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on progress in winding-up the heritage regulators whose work has been assumed by Ofcom. [188233]
§ Estelle MorrisThe regulatory functions of the Independent Television Commission, Radio Authority, Oftel, and the Broadcasting Standards Commission were transferred to Ofcom on 29 December 2003; under transitional arrangements the bodies remained formally in existence, principally to provide for completion of the Annual Accounts. These have since been published and laid before the House, apart from those for Oftel, which will be published shortly. An Order formally abolishing these bodies will be brought forward in due course. In addition, the functions of the Secretary of State formerly performed by the Radiocommunications Agency have been transferred to OFCOM, but no winding up will be required in that case as the RA was part of the DTI.