Broadcasting Act 1981

34 Instalments payable on account by programme contractors in respect of additional payments

(1) It shall be the duty of the Authority in framing the contracts with the various programme contractors to include terms enabling the Authority to estimate before the beginning of an accounting period the additional payments due for that accounting period, and requiring the programme contractor to pay the estimated amount by monthly instalments throughout the accounting period.

(2) The Authority shall in particular include terms—

(a) authorising the Authority to revise any estimate on one or more occasions, and to adjust the instalments payable by the programme contractor to take account of the revised estimate ;

(b) providing for the adjustment of any overpayment or underpayment when the amount due from the programme contractor for the accounting period has been finally ascertained;

(c) ensuring that any amount due under the contract is paid promptly and in full.

(3) Where any amount falls to be paid to a programme contractor to adjust an overpayment made by him, that amount shall be paid to the programme contractor out of the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom or, if the contract is for the supply of programmes to be broadcast from stations all of which are in Northern Ireland, out of the Consolidated Fund of Northern Ireland.

(4) Any reference in section 33 to additional payments shall be construed as including any sum payable in pursuance of this section as being an instalment or unpaid balance of any additional payments.

(5) The accounts to be prepared under paragraphs (a) and (b) of section 33(4) shall show any sums paid in pursuance of subsection (3) of this section in respect of the financial year in question and relating to the additional payments mentioned in those paragraphs respectively.