Amendments proposed to the Communications Bill - continued | House of Commons |
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Investigation of BBC by the National Audit Office
Mr John Whittingdale NC25 To move the following Clause:'In part 2 of Schedule 4 to the National Audit Office Act 1983 (c. 44), the words "the British Broadcasting Corporation" shall be omitted.'.
Comptroller's report on BBC
Mr John Whittingdale NC26 To move the following Clause:'(1) It shall be the duty of the Comptroller
(2) The period selected by the Comptroller for the purposes of subsection (1)(b) must be a period of not more than three years beginning with the end of the previous period for which the Comptroller have satisfied those reviews and reporting obligations. (3) The review and reporting obligations for a period are:
(5) In this section
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.'.
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
(1) In exercising their powers to grant local radio multiplex licences, OFCOM shall reserve such digital capacity as they consider appropriate for digital sound programming and additional services which are operated for the benefit of members of the public in a defined geographical locality or in a particular community and not operated by the BBC or for commercial purposes ("digital community services"). (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. (3) 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
.(1) An application for a licence to provide a community service shall be made in such manner as OFCOM may determine, and shall be accompanied by such fee (if any) as OFCOM may determine. (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
Development of community media
Brian White NC34 To move the following Clause:(1) The Secretary of State may by order provide for
(2) The Secretary of State shall not make an order under this section in relation to any description of services unless
(4) No order is to be made containing provision the making of which is authorised by this section unless a draft of the order has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House.'.
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