§ Mr. SpellarTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made in obtaining access for British telecommunications companies in the United States market. [32817]
§ Mr. Ian TaylorThere has been improvement in the access of UK companies to the United States market, particularly since international simple resale of telecommunications between the UK and the US was authorised in October 1994. My Department has now licensed 33 companies to provide ISR to the US, as well as to Australia, Canada and Sweden.
The Government have been following closely the regulatory and legislative proposals currently being considered in the US on foreign ownership and access to the US market, with a view to improving UK companies' position in the US. We have also urged US officials to avoid any measures which may cause difficulty with a successful outcome of the World Trade Organisation negotiations on basic telecommunications, due to end in April 1996.