Mr. Robert G. HughesTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether any decisions have been made as a result of the recommendations from the Director General of Telecommunications about the further liberalisation of telecommunication services; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Ridley[pursuant to the reply, 15 June 1989, c. 481–82]: I can now inform the House that I have signed the new branch systems general licence under the Telecommunications Act 1984. The licence enters into force today.
The new licence provides for significant further liberalisation in a number of areas. In particular, it allows "simple resale" whereby companies and others can sell on to third parties any spare capacity they have on the private lines they lease from British Telecom and Mercury. The licence thus gives operators of private networks complete freedom in their use within the United Kingdom.
The licence also contains a condition designed to limit the intrusion caused by unsolicited telephone and fax sales calls. Under it, users will be able to request that a particular company ceases such calls and if the company continues to make them, it will be in breach of the licence.
Since the licence will govern the operation of the overwhelming majority of private networks and branch systems in the country, as well as the provision of telecommunications services, we have been particularly careful to produce a document which will put into practice the measures announced by my hon. Friend in the simplest and most effective way.
We have also taken the opportunity to simplify further some of the conditions, particularly those relating to the provision of international data services.
We have also added a requirement that specially adapted telephones for the hard of hearing located in lifts to which the public have access should be clearly signposted. We hope these further changes will bring additional benefits to the users of telecommunications in the United Kingdom.
In preparing the new licence, my Department has received detailed advice from the Office of Telecommunications. I am grateful to the Director 650W General of Telecommunications for this advice and for his recommendations, which have formed the basis for the further liberalisations that are contained in the licence.
Copies of the new licence will be generally available at a cost of £5 from the Office of Telecommunications, and I will ensure that they are placed in the Libraries of both Houses.