HC Deb 26 July 1984 vol 64 cc783-4W
Mr. Heddle

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the bodies consulted by his Department when preparing the licence he has granted to British Telecom under section 7 of the Telecommunications Act 1984.

Mr. Butcher

On 25 October 1983 the Department issued a draft of the licence to be granted to British Telecom under the Telecommunications Act 1984 and invited comments on this draft by 31 March 1984. Copies of the draft licence were made available on request and over 1,300 copies were so distributed. Copies were also sent to a number of bodies which had previously expressed some specific interest in the terms of the impending licence. Comments were received from a wide range of persons, including representative bodies, with an interest in telecommunications. The Department also had discussions with several organisations about their comments on the draft licence. There is no formal list, but we consulted widely.

Mr. Wood

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the costs of the intended sale of shares in British Telecom plc.

Mr. Kenneth Baker

The Government have announced their intention to sell shares in British Telecom plc later in the year. Pending parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary Supply Estimate, urgent payments in connection with the main sale expenses will be met from repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.

Mr. Ground

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in the light of the proposed privatisation of British Telecom, what measures he has taken to ensure that the United Kingdom's telecommunications interests are fairly represented at international meetings.

Mr. Kenneth Baker

Arrangements for representation in the inter-governmental telecommunications organisations have been reviewed in the light of the new regime of competition in telecommunications in the United Kingdom and privatisation of British Telecom.

Responsibility for international telecommunications policy at Government level will reside with the Department of Trade and Industry, which will co-ordinate international telecommunications policy with other interested parties, including the Office of Telecommunications. The Government will continue to take the lead at major international telecommunications meetings. In formulating United Kingdom policy on international telecommunications issues it will ensure that the overall interests of the United Kingdom telecommunications industry, users and service providers are given full consideration. In certain specialist technical groups of the International Telecommunication Union and the Conference of European Postal and Telecommunications Administration, BT will as the primary international carrier continue to represent the United Kingdom. In these groups it will act upon lines agreed with the Government, other carriers and industry.

BT, as the main United Kingdom investor in INTELSAT, INMARSAT and EUTELSAT, will continue to be the United Kingdom signatory in these organisations, but will consult the Government and other interested parties on major policy questions.

A copy of the paper setting out the new arrangements is being placed in the Library of the House.