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"PART IIA |
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OTHER FUNCTIONS OF COUNCIL |
Acquisition and review of information. |
46C. - (1) The Council shall have the function of obtaining and keeping under review- |
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(a) information about consumer matters, including matters affecting consumers in different areas of the United Kingdom; |
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(b) information about the views of consumers on such matters, including the views of consumers in different areas. |
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(2) As part of the arrangements it makes for carrying out that function, the Council- |
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(a) shall establish one or more committees of the Council for, or for areas within, each of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; and |
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(b) may establish one or more committees of the Council for, or for areas within, England. |
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(3) The purposes of a committee established under subsection (2) (in this Act referred to as a "regional committee") shall be- |
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(a) the provision of advice and information to the Council on consumer matters affecting the area for which the committee is established; and |
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(b) such other purposes as the Council may determine. |
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(4) The Council shall maintain in each of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland at least one office at which consumers may apply for information. |
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(5) Where the Authority is required by any provision of this Act or any other enactment to give or publish a notice specifying a period within which representations may be made with respect to any matter mentioned in the notice, the Authority shall send a copy of the notice to the Council. |
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This subsection does not apply if the enactment makes provision as to the sending of copies to the Council. |
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(6) In this Act "consumer matters" means matters connected with the interests of consumers, purchasers and other users of telecommunications services and telecommunications apparatus. |
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(7) Paragraphs 11 to 13 of Schedule 1B have effect in relation to regional committees. |
Provision of advice and information to public authorities and licence holders. |
46D. - (1) The Council has the function of- |
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(a) making proposals, or providing advice and information, about consumer matters (including matters affecting consumers in different areas), and |
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(b) representing the views of consumers on such matters (including the views of consumers in different areas), |
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to public authorities, persons authorised by a licence under section 7 and other persons whose activities may affect the interests of consumers. |
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(2) Subject to subsection (5), information which relates to the affairs of any particular individual or body of persons (corporate or unincorporate) shall not be disclosed in the exercise of the Council's function under this section unless one or more of paragraphs (a) to (c) of subsection (3) applies to the information. |
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(3) Information relating to a particular individual or body may be disclosed if- |
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(a) the individual or body has consented to the disclosure; |
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(b) it is information that is available to the public from some other source; or |
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(c) it is not information the disclosure of which would or might seriously and prejudicially affect the interests of the individual or body. |
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(4) Before deciding to disclose any information relating to a particular individual or body in pursuance of subsection (3)(c), the Council shall- |
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(a) consult that person or body; and |
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(b) have regard to any opinion expressed by the Authority as to the application of subsection (3)(c) to the information or as to the desirability or otherwise of its publication. |
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(5) Subsections (2) to (4) do not apply to a disclosure of information which is made to the Authority, the Secretary of State, the Competition Commission or any other public authority. |
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(6) The disclosure by the Council of information in the exercise of its function under this section does not contravene section 101. |
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(7) In this section "interests of consumers" means the interests of consumers, purchasers and other users in respect of telecommunications services and telecommunications apparatus. |
Provision of information to consumers. |
46E. - (1) The Council has the function of providing information about consumer matters, in such form as appears to the Council to be most useful to the recipients, to consumers, purchasers and other users of telecommunications services and telecommunications apparatus. |
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(2) That function may be exercised by- |
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(a) publishing information in any manner as the Council thinks appropriate for the purpose of bringing it to the attention of those likely to be interested; or |
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(b) furnishing information to any person (whether in response to a request or otherwise). |
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(3) Information may only be disclosed in the exercise of that function if it is information that is available to the public from some other source. |
Power to publish advice and information about consumer matters. |
46F. - (1) If it appears to the Council that the publication of any advice and information about consumer matters (including information about the views of consumers on such matters) would promote the interests of consumers, the Council may publish that advice or information in such manner as it thinks appropriate. |
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(2) Information which relates to the affairs of any particular individual or body of persons (corporate or unincorporate) shall not be published under this section unless one or more of paragraphs (a) to (c) of subsection (3) applies to the information. |
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(3) Information relating to a particular individual or body may be published if- |
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(a) that individual or body has consented to the disclosure; |
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(b) it is information that is available to the public from some other source; or |
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(c) it is not information the publication of which would or might, in the opinion of the Council, seriously and prejudicially affect the interests of that individual or body. |
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(4) Before deciding to disclose any information relating to a particular individual or body in pursuance of subsection (3)(c), the Council shall- |
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(a) consult that person or body; and |
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(b) have regard to any opinion expressed by the Authority as to the application of subsection (3)(c) to the information or as to the desirability or otherwise of its publication. |
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(5) The publication of information under this section does not contravene section 101. |
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(6) In this section "the interests of consumers" means the interests of consumers, purchasers and other users of telecommunications services and telecommunications apparatus." |