HC Deb 14 October 1996 vol 282 cc779-80W
Mr. Timms

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list recent spectrum sharing arrangements between military and civil users. [40318]

Mr. Arbuthnot

My Department has for many years pursued a policy fo sharing its spectrum with civil usage where military interests are not prejudiced. For example, in the 400 to 450 MHz band, channels have been shared or released for civil use including channel tunnel communications co-ordinated with France, private business radio in conurbations, civil data services, police helicopter communications and HM Customs and Excise communications UK-wide.

Shortage of spectrum for cellular telephones led to a sharing arrangement of MOD training spectrum at 870 to 888 MHz and 915 to 933 MHz. As these band are given up by the cellular operators, they will be shared with other civil users under European co-ordination agreements. These frequency bands are subject to retrieval by the Department when necessary.

Wideband channels have been agreed in the bands 2340, 2400 and 2420 MHz for use by outside broadcasting operators, subject to military site restrictions. In addition, two wideband channels at 3425 and 3475 MHz have been agreed for wireless local loop installations, although some prior co-ordination of transmitter sites may be required to protect military installations.

Wideband channels have been agreed for local area network MOD spectrum at 10.15 to 10.3 GHz subject to military site restrictions.

Permanent sharing arrangements exist in the aeronautical radionavigation bands for military and civil aircraft. Similarly, MOD bands are shared with amateur radio operators, on a non-interference basis to military systems, which allows the amateurs the freedom to develop their activities without detailed case-by-case co-ordination.

Mr. Timms

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made by the joint review of the Radiocommunications Agency and the Ministry of Defence into releasing the entire 225 to 400 MHz band. [40314]

Mr. Arbuthnot

The band is a harmonised band for tactical military communications throughout all NATO nations. In concert with NATO nations, we have agreed to release some spectrum in the band for use by terrestrial digital audio broadcasting and the emergency services. There are no plans to release the whole of the 225 to 400 MHz band for civil use.

Mr. Timms

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures his Department has of the efficiency of its use of the radio spectrum on the basis of(a) time, (b) geography and (c) other criteria. [40312]

Mr. Arbuthnot

The spectrum allocated to the MOD is managed by the Department to meet requirements of the military services in the UK for a wide variety of systems and for those of visiting forces. In these circumstances, sharing in time is rarely an option. Geographic separation is the main criterion for the re-use of frequencies and is widely used in the efficient management of the spectrum. The MOD procedures equipment which is efficient in the use of spectrum when it is suitable for defence needs.

Mr. Timms

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of his Department's minimum needs in the radio relay sub-bands in the area of 225 to 400 MHz. [40311]

Mr. Arbuthnot

The band 225 to 400 MHz is a harmonised frequency band throughout all NATO nations for tactical military communications. NATO has agreed to the release of the band 225 to 230 MHz for broadcasting use and two 5MHz sub-bands in the range 380 to 400 MHz for use by the emergency services.

The Army has reviewed its requirements for spectrum to support tactical military communications and has concluded that a further reduction in spectrum available for this purpose in this band would be prejudicial to operational effectiveness.

Mr. Timms

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what stage has been reached in the monitoring process for the Ministry of Defence's release of the 380 to 399.9 MHz band to civil broadcasting systems in the UK. [40315]

Mr. Arbuthnot

The band 380 to 399.9 MHz has not been designated by the International Telecommunication Union as a broadcast band. Within the Conference of European Postal and Telecommunication Administration nations, the band is one of the four designated to be shared with civilian users. Two sub-bands, 380 to 385 and 390 to 395 MHz, have been released, with the agreement of NATO, for use by the emergency services in NATO countries in Europe.

Mr. Timms

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made by the Radiocommunications Agency and the Ministry of Defence to release the spectrum within the 410 to 420 MHz band for civil use by 1997. [40313]

Mr. Arbuthnot

Discussions between the Ministry and the Radiocommunications Agency of the Department of Trade and Industry have identified two bands of 5 MHz in the 410 to 430 MHz band that can be made available for civilian use by 1997.