§ Mr. HainTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his reply of 9 December,Official Report, column 281, if he will take steps to ensure that his consultation with other Departments is completed in time for a response to be sent to the Council on Tribunals concerning their potential interest in the disputes procedure of telecommunications companies as covered by the Competition and Service (Utilities) Bill prior to the Report stage of that Bill in this House.
§ Mr. RedwoodConsultation between Departments and the regulators has been carried out as a matter of urgency, and information has already been passed to the Council on Tribunals.
§ Mr. HainTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his reply of 9 December,Official Report, column 281, if he will indicate the nature of the potential interest in the disputes procedure of telecommunications companies as covered by the Competition and Service (Utilities) Bill that has been expressed by the Council on Tribunals.
§ Mr. RedwoodIn its approach to the Department, the Council on Tribunals expressed potential interest in clauses which conferred new functions on the directors general in relation to dispute resolution. Clauses 1 and 5 to 7 inclusive have been mentioned for telecommunications. The council wishes to consider whether any formal procedures to hold oral hearings, similar to those held by tribunals under the Council's supervision, are likely to be established by the directors general. I would emphasise that it is dispute procedures set up by the regulators in which the Council has expressed interest, not procedures of the utilities they monitor.
§ Mr. HainTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his reply of 9 December,Official 111W Report,column 281, if he will publish the response his Department has sent to the Council on Tribunals concerning their potential interest in the disputes procedures of telecommunications companies as covered by the Competition and Service (Utilities) Bill.
§ Mr. RedwoodCorrespondence and discussions are continuing between the Council on Tribunals, the Department and the regulators. It is not appropriate to publish this ongoing consultation. I made a statement to Standing Committee on the Competition and Service (Utilities) Bill on 17 December about the issues involved.