Communications Act 2003

325 Observance of standards code

(1) The regulatory regime for every programme service licensed by a Broadcasting Act licence includes conditions for securing—

(a) that standards set under section 319 are observed in the provision of that service; and

(b) that procedures for the handling and resolution of complaints about the observance of those standards are established and maintained.

(2) It shall be the duty of OFCOM themselves to establish procedures for the handling and resolution of complaints about the observance of standards set under section 319.

(3) OFCOM may from time to time make a report to the Secretary of State on any issues with respect to OFCOM’s standards code which—

(a) have been identified by them in the course of carrying out their functions; and

(b) appear to them to raise questions of general broadcasting policy.

(4) The conditions of a licence which is granted by OFCOM for a programme service must, for the purpose of securing compliance—

(a) with OFCOM’s standards code, so far as it relates to advertising and the sponsorship of programmes, and

(b) with any such requirements as are mentioned in section 321(4) which relate to advertising and sponsorship but go beyond that code,

include a condition requiring the licence holder to comply with every direction given to him by OFCOM with respect to any of the matters mentioned in subsection (5).

(5) Those matters are—

(a) the exclusion from the service of a particular advertisement, or its exclusion in particular circumstances;

(b) the descriptions of advertisements and methods of advertising to be excluded from the service (whether generally or in particular circumstances); and

(c) the forms and methods of sponsorship to be excluded from the service (whether generally or in particular circumstances).

(6) OFCOM’s powers and duties under this section are not to be construed as restricting any power of theirs, apart from this section—

(a) to include conditions with respect to the content of programmes included in any service in the licence to provide that service; or

(b) to include conditions in a licence requiring the holder of a licence to comply with directions given by OFCOM or by any other person.