Amendments proposed to the Communications Bill - continued | House of Commons |
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Conditions to secure access to public teletext service
Nick Harvey NC27 To move the following Clause:'The regulatory regime for the public teletext service includes the conditions that OFCOM considers appropriate for securing that the provision of so much of the public teletext service as is provided in digital form is accessible to persons who are blind and partially sighted.'.
Meaning of 'initial expiry date'
Mr Stephen Timms NC28 To move the following Clause:'(1) Subject to any postponement under this section, the date which is the initial expiry date for the purposes of this Part is 31st December 2014. (2) The Secretary of State may (on one or more occasions) by order postpone the initial expiry date. (3) The Secretary of State's power to postpone the initial expiry date
(5) The Secretary of State must exercise his power to postpone the initial expiry date if it at any time appears to him that that date would otherwise fall within the period of eighteen months immediately following the date fixed for digital switchover. (6) Where an order under this section extends a licensing period for which a licence has been granted in accordance with section 209 or 214, the 1990 Act and this Part shall have effect (subject to subsection (7)) as if the licence had originally been granted for the extended period. (7) Where an order under this section extends the period for which a licence is to continue in force
(9) In this section "the relevant public broadcasting service" means any of the following
Power to confer further functions on OFCOM relating to the BBC
Mr John Whittingdale NC29 To move the following Clause:'(1) The Secretary of State may by order amend this Act to such extent as he considers appropriate to give effect to the provisions of
(3) An order under this section shall not be made unless a draft of the order has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House.'.
Public Services Fund
Mr John Whittingdale NC30 To move the following Clause:'(1) The Secretary of State shall by order make provision for the establishment of a Fund to be known as the Public Services Broadcasting Fund. (2) There shall be at least three trustees of the Fund and the order shall make provision for the terms of their appointment, including their remuneration. (3) The primary function of the Trustees shall be the making of financial contributions to groups or organisations which make or propose to make programmes of local, regional or sectional interest for inclusion in a programme service. (4) The Trustees shall have such other powers as may be conferred on them by the order. (5) The BBC shall pay to the Trustees of the Fund in January of each calendar year in accordance with the provisions of the order made under subsection (1) an amount equal to 1 per cent. of the licence fee received by the BBC in the preceding calendar year. (6) An order under this section shall not be made unless a draft of the order has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House.'.
Community radio
Mr Richard Allan NC32 To move the following Clause:'(1) In subsection (2) of section 84 of the 1990 Act, after paragraph (a)(iii) there shall be inserted
(3) After that subsection there shall be inserted
(2) In performing their duty under subsection (1) OFCOM shall endeavour to ensure that every community radio service which is licensed to broadcast other than in digital form is also able to be received in digital form. (4) Where a local multiplex licence is granted in respect of a locality in which digital capacity is reserved in pursuance of this section, the licence shall include such conditions as appear to OFCOM to be appropriate for the purpose of securing that the holder of the licence uses such digital capacity for the broadcasting of such services."
Community television
Brian White NC33 To move the following Clause:'After section 42B of the 1990 Act there is inserted
(2) In determining whether or to whom to grant a licence to provide a community service and the duration of such licence OFCOM shall have regard to
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