§ The Minister for E-Commerce and Competitiveness (Mr. Stephen Timms)It is the Government's intention to implement the four EC Communications Directives by the required deadline of 25 July 2003 through the legislation contained in the Communications Bill (particularly Part 2 of the Bill) and the orders and regulations to be made under that legislation. It should be perfectly feasible for the Bill to receive Royal Assent and for the necessary orders and regulations to be made in time to ensure that the Directives are implemented by the required date, especially as the Bill was published in draft and has been subject to extensive consultation and legislative scrutiny, and has been amended in the light of the views expressed.
However, the timetable is tight and there may be circumstances in which it cannot be met. As it would not be an option to fail to implement the Directives by 25 July, if the Bill has not been passed in time the Government would need to bring forward Regulations under the 2WS European Communities Act 1972 to ensure that our obligations were met. Such Regulations would, for the interim period until the Bill is passed and brought into force, have broadly the same effect as many of the provisions contained in Part 2 of the Bill. I have therefore just published a consultation document setting out the contingency plan for such interim implementation. Copies of the document, which includes drafts of the Regulations, have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and the document is available on the internet: http://www.communicationsbill.gov.uk/. Interested parties should respond to my Department by 15 May 2003.
The consultation document also includes the General Conditions that would be made by the Regulator once the Bill has been passed—following up an initial consultation by Oftel in May 2002. Interested parties should respond to Oftel, also by 15 May 2003.