§ Mr. Michael Marshallasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish notes for guidance on the interpretation of the branch systems general licence issued under the Telecommunications Act 1984; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ButcherThe Department is preparing notes for guidance on the branch systems general licence in consultation with the Director General of Telecommunications. These notes and further editions will be published by the director, not by the Department, and will be his responsibility under section 48 of the Telecommunications Act.
§ Mr. Michael Marshallasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Government intend to issue a new value added services general licence under the 93W Telecommunications Act 1984; and when the Government expects that the draft licence will be available for public consultation.
§ Mr. ButcherThe terms of the new licence for value added network services will depend on the outcome of current discussions on licences for managed data network services on which our plans were announced on 15 October and on the outcome of discussions on the consultation document the Department plans to circulate shortly. The new licence will not be granted until the new year, but in the interim the VANS general licence granted under the British Telecommunications Act 1981 continues in force.