HC Deb 12 December 1979 vol 975 cc615-6W
Mr. McCrindle

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the results of the World Administrative Radio Conference.

Mr. Whitelaw

The World Administrative Radio Conference which has just ended was held in Geneva by the International Telecommunication Union. It was attended by 142 member States, including the United Kingdom. The chief purpose of the conference was to review, and where necessary revise, the main provisions and articles of the international radio regulations, including the international table of frequency allocations which provides the framework for the use of frequency wavebands for all types of radio throughout the world.

Without commenting on the technically complex details of the changes that have been made, I can say that the United Kingdom has broadly achieved its objectives. There are inevitably one or two matters on which we would have liked to see different conclusions, but in general the outcome was satisfactory. I intend to publish a short report outlining the main results of the conference early next year. I understand that printed copies of the final acts of the conference are - expected to be distributed by the International Telecommunication Union by about the autumn of next year.