Search Legislation

Advanced Search

British Telecommunications Act 1981

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for the British Telecommunications Act 1981. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site.

  1. Introductory Text

  2. Part I New Corporation for the Provision of Telecommunication and Data Processing Services

    1. The Corporation

      1. 1. The Corporation.

    2. Powers and duties of the Corporation

      1. 2.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      2. 3.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      3. 4, 5.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    3. Powers of the Secretary of State over the Corporation

      1. 6. General control and supervision by the Secretary of State.

      2. 7, 8.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    4. Users’ Councils

      1. 9.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    5. Transfers of property, rights and liabilities

      1. 10. Transfers of property, rights and liabilities

      2. 11—20.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    6. Charges and other terms and conditions applicable to services

      1. 21.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      2. 22.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    7. Limitation of liability

      1. 23.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    8. Finance

      1. 24—27. General duty of the Corporation as to finance.

      2. 28.(1) . . . . . . . . ....

      3. 29, 30.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    9. The Corporation’s accounts, and audit thereof

      1. 31. The Corporation’s accounts and audit thereof.

    10. Pensions

      1. 32.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      2. 33. Power of the Secretary of State to make orders about pensions.

      3. 34.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    11. Rating

      1. 35.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      2. 36. Rating in Scotland.

      3. 37—52.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    12. Miscellaneous

      1. 53.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      2. 54.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      3. 55.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      4. 56.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      5. 57.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  3. PART II The Post Office

    1. Powers and duties of the Post Office

      1. 58. Powers of the Post Office

      2. 59. General duty of the Post Office.

      3. 60. Redistribution of property, rights and liabilities among wholly owned subsidiaries.

      4. 61. Control of wholly owned subsidiaries.

    2. Powers of the Secretary of State over the Post Office

      1. 62. General control and supervision by the Secretary of State.

      2. 63. Activities requiring consultation with the Secretary of State.

      3. 64. Activities requiring approval of the Secretary of State.

    3. Post Office Users’ Councils

      1. 65. Power to provide that certain services shall no longer be referable to Post Office Users’ Councils.

    4. Exclusive privilege of the Post Office with respect to the conveyance etc. of letters

      1. 66. Exclusive privilege of the Post Office with respect to the conveyance etc. of letters.

      2. 67. General classes of acts not infringing the postal privilege.

      3. 68. Saving for things done under a licence.

      4. 69. Suspension of the postal privilege.

    5. Limitation of liability

      1. 70. The Post Office to be subject to limited liability in respect of certain inland packets.

    6. Finance

      1. 71. General duty of the Post Office as to finance.

      2. 72. Reserves of the Post Office and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

      3. 73. Borrowing powers of the Post Office and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

      4. 74. Limitation of indebtedness.

      5. 75. The Post Office’s accounts and audit thereof.

    7. Pensions

      1. 76. Power of the Secretary of State to make orders about pensions.

    8. Miscellaneous

      1. 77. Delivery boxes.

      2. 78. Interpretation and extent of Part II.

  4. PART III Miscellaneous and General

    1. 79. Powers of Treasury to dispose etc. of the shares of Cable and Wireless Limited.

    2. 80.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    3. 81. Stamp duty.

    4. 82. Tax provisions.

    5. 83. Financial provisions.

    6. 84. Power of managers of certain welfare funds to preserve their scope.

    7. 85. General interpretation.

    8. 86. Application to Northern Ireland.

    9. 87. Consequential amendments.

    10. 88. Transitional provisions.

    11. 89. Repeals and savings.

    12. 90. Short title and extent.

  5. SCHEDULES

    1. SCHEDULE 1

      Provisions with respect to the Corporation and the Members thereof

      1. Status

        1. 1.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

        2. 2.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      2. Members

        1. 3.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

        2. 4.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

        3. 5.. . . . . . . . . ....

        4. 6.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

        5. 7.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      3. Proceedings

        1. 8.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

        2. 9.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

        3. 10.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      4. Staff

        1. 11.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

        2. 12.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

        3. 13.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      5. Fixing of seal and proof of instruments

        1. 14.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

        2. 15.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

        3. 16.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    2. SCHEDULE 2

      Provisions as to Transfers of Property, Rights and Liabilities

      1. Allocation of property, rights and liabilities

        1. 1.(1) The provisions of this paragraph and paragraph 2 shall...

        2. 2.(1) It shall be the duty of the transferor and...

      2. Rights and liabilities under contracts of employment

        1. 3.(1) The provisions of this paragraph shall have effect where...

      3. Right to production of documents of title

        1. 4.Where on any transfer to which this Schedule applies the...

      4. Perfection of vesting of certain property or rights

        1. 5.Where in the case of any transfer to which this...

      5. Proof of title by certificate

        1. 6.In the case of any transfer to which this Schedule...

      6. Restrictions on dealing with certain land

        1. 7.If the Secretary of State is satisfied on the representation...

      7. Construction of agreements, statutory provisions and documents

        1. 8.Where in the case of any transfer to which this...

        2. 9.Except as otherwise provided in any provision of this Act...

        3. 10.Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of paragraphs...

        4. 11.(1) References in paragraphs 8 to 10 to agreements to...

      8. Third parties affected by vesting provisions

        1. 12.(1) Without prejudice to the provisions of paragraphs 8 to...

    3. SCHEDULE 3

      Consequential Amendments

      1. Part I General

        1. 1.. . . . . . . . . ....

      2. Part II Public General Enactments

        1. Enactments relating to telegraphs

          1. 2—6.. . . . . . . . . ....

        2. Enactments relating to the supply of electricity

          1. 7, 8.. . . . . . . . . ....

          2. 9.. . . . . . . . . ....

        3. Enactments relating to statutory undertakers

          1. 10.(1) . . . . . . . . ....

          2. 11, 12.. . . . . . . . . ....

        4. Other enactments

          1. 13—22.. . . . . . . . . ....

          2. 23.. . . . . . . . . ....

          3. 24.(1) . . . . . . . . ....

          4. 25, 26.. . . . . . . . . ....

          5. 27.. . . . . . . . . ....

          6. 28.. . . . . . . . . ....

          7. 29.. . . . . . . . . ....

          8. 30.. . . . . . . . . ....

          9. 31.. . . . . . . . . ....

          10. 32.. . . . . . . . . ....

          11. 33.. . . . . . . . . ....

          12. 34.As from the appointed day, references in subsections (1) and...

          13. 35—38.. . . . . . . . . ....

          14. 39.. . . . . . . . . ....

          15. 40.. . . . . . . . . ....

          16. 41.(1) . . . . . . . . ....

          17. 42.. . . . . . . . . ....

          18. 43.. . . . . . . . . ....

          19. 44.. . . . . . . . . ....

          20. 45.. . . . . . . . . ....

          21. 46.. . . . . . . . . ....

          22. 47.. . . . . . . . . ....

          23. 48.. . . . . . . . . ....

          24. 49.. . . . . . . . . ....

          25. 50.. . . . . . . . . ....

          26. 51.(1) Section 7(2) of the 1969 Act (powers of the...

          27. 52.. . . . . . . . . ....

          28. 53—55.. . . . . . . . . ....

          29. 56.. . . . . . . . . ....

          30. 57.(1) . . . . . . . . ....

          31. 58—60.. . . . . . . . . ....

          32. 61, 62.. . . . . . . . . ....

          33. 63.As from the date on which the Treasury first exercise...

          34. 64, 65.. . . . . . . . . ....

          35. 66.. . . . . . . . . ....

          36. 67.(1) . . . . . . . . ....

          37. 68.. . . . . . . . . ....

          38. 69—71.. . . . . . . . . ....

          39. 72.. . . . . . . . . ....

          40. 73.(1) . . . . . . . . ....

          41. 74—76.. . . . . . . . . ....

      3. Part III Local Enactments and Subordinate Legislation

        1. 77—80.. . . . . . . . . ....

        2. 81.. . . . . . . . . ....

        3. 82, 83.. . . . . . . . . ....

        4. 84.As from the appointed day, article 7 of the Visiting...

    4. SCHEDULE 4

      General Transitional Provisions

      1. 1.Except as otherwise provided by any provision of this Act...

      2. 2.A direction given by the Secretary of State to the...

      3. 3.(1) Subsections (1) and (2) of section 7 shall have...

      4. 4.An approval given by the Secretary of State to the...

      5. 5.Section 13(4) shall have effect as if any apparatus which...

      6. 6.(1) A licence granted, or having effect as if granted,...

      7. 7.(1) A scheme made by the Post Office under section...

      8. 8.(1) Section 22(2) shall have effect as if any application...

      9. 9.(1) Sections 26(3), 27(2), 73(3) and 74(2) shall have effect...

      10. 10.An authorisation given, or having effect as if given, by...

      11. 11.(1) A certificate given by the Post Office under section...

      12. 12.An undertaking given, or having effect as if given, to...

      13. 13.Where, on the appointed day, there are in progress any...

      14. 14.(1) This paragraph applies to the following instruments, namely—

      15. 15.A notice or certificate given, request made or requirement imposed...

      16. 16.An authority granted under section 5(1) of the Telegraph Act...

      17. 17.Any such council as is mentioned in the Telegraph Act...

      18. 18.(1) A notice given under section 26 of the Electric...

      19. 19.An order under section 24 of the Bankruptcy Act 1914...

      20. 20.. . . . . . . . . ....

      21. 21.(1) Nothing in this Act shall affect the validity of...

      22. 22.(1) If the appointed day is other than a 1st...

    5. SCHEDULE 5

      Special Transitional Provisions with Respect to Patients for Inventions and Registered Designs

      1. Part I Interpretation

        1. 1.In this Schedule “ agreement to which this Schedule applies...

      2. Part II Patents for Inventions

        1. 2.. . . . . . . . . ....

        2. 3.(1) Where an agreement to which this Schedule applies contains...

        3. 4.Where by an agreement to which this Schedule applies, being...

        4. 5.(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (3) where, on or after the...

        5. 6.Where, in the case of an invention, an authority for...

        6. 7.The authority of the Corporation in respect of an invention...

        7. 8.(1) The Corporation shall have the power to use, for...

        8. 9.(1) In relation to any use of a patented invention...

        9. 10.(1) Any dispute as to the exercise by the Corporation...

        10. 11.(1) Where, in pursuance of an agreement to which this...

        11. 12.Expressions to which meanings are assigned by the Patents Act...

      3. Part III Registered Designs

        1. 13.(1) Where an agreement to which this Schedule applies contains...

        2. 14.Where, by an agreement to which this Schedule applies, being...

        3. 15.(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), where, on or after the...

        4. 16.Where, in the case of a design, an authority for...

        5. 17.The authority of the Corporation in respect of a design...

        6. 18.(1) In the case of articles vested in the Corporation...

        7. 19.(1) In relation to any use of a registered design...

        8. 20.(1) Any dispute as to the exercise by the Corporation...

        9. 21.(1) Where, in pursuance of an agreement to which this...

        10. 22.Expressions to which meanings are assigned by the Registered Designs...

    6. SCHEDULE 6

      ENACTMENTS REPEALED

      1. Part I Enactments Repealed on the Passing of this Act

        1. Northern Ireland Legislation

      2. Part II Enactments Repealed on the Appointed Day

        1. Northern Ireland Legislation

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources