§ Mr. Amessasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to promote competition in the field of communications.
§ Mr. PattieAmong the duties set on both my right hon. Friend and the Director General of Telecommunications by the Telecommunications Act 1984 is one to maintain and promote effective competition. As part of this continuing process, the Government announced on 25 February two major new licences to liberalise business use of telecommunications and the provision of value added and data services. New licences will also shortly be issued to two competing operators of nationwide private mobile radio networks, as well as to regional and London pmr network operators and to new operators of national radiopaging networks. We shall also be publishing shortly for public comment an independent consultant's report on the scope for applying market forces and the price mechanism to the management of the radio spectrum.