§ Mr. Strangasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many additional staff will be employed to deal with the increased work load arising from the commitment to change radio frequencies at the world administrative radio conference 1979.
§ Mr. RaisonAuthorised staffing levels in the Home Office already make some provision for work arising out of international radio conferences. The requirement resulting from the WARC 1979 to change the mobile radio services used by police forces and fire brigades to new frequency bands is an additional task but whether extra staff will need to be employed will depend on the extent of other commitments at the time.
§ Mr. Strangasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress made, and time scale involved, in changing radio frequencies and equipment arising from the commitment made at the world administrative radio conference 1979.
§ Mr. RaisonMany of the changes to the international allocations of radio frequency bands arising out of the WARC 1979 came into effect on 1 January 1982, but in some cases—for example the extension of the upper limit232W of the international vhf sound broadcasting band from 100 to 108 MHz—detailed changes of frequency use will come into effect only after further international radio conferences. The extension of the vhf sound broadcasting band will necessitate moving land mobile radio systems of the United Kingdom's police and fire services to new bands by the end of 1989 and some other land mobile services used mainly by public authorities by the end of 1995. Action is being taken to effect these changes by the dates required.