517.This section applies when the Secretary of State receives a report made by OFCOM under section 229. If the report contains a recommendation to make an order under this section, or (in the absence of a recommendation) where the Secretary of State believes it is appropriate to do so, she may by order provide that specified licences are not to be renewed under section 216 or 222 from the end of the current licensing period.
518.Subsection (3) provides that such an order must be made at least eighteen months before the end of the current licensing period.
519.Under subsection (4), the power to prevent the renewal of the licences from the end of the initial licensing period can be exercised only if a date for switchover has been fixed which falls before the end of that period. Subsection (5) provides that if the Secretary of State postpones the date for switchover after she has made an order preventing the renewal of licences, this order will not have effect if the new date for switchover falls after the end of that initial licensing period. However, in such a case, the Secretary of State will be able to make another order preventing the renewal of licences. But this power will be subject to the requirement, set by subsection 224(5), that she must postpone the initial expiry date of the licences when this date falls within the period of eighteen months after switchover.
520.Under subsection (7), an order with respect to Channel 3 licences must apply to all licences to provide a Channel 3 service, or to all licences to provide a national Channel 3 service, or to all licences to provide a regional Channel 3 service. Any order made by the Secretary of State will be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.