67.The Secretary of State may, as respects the United Kingdom, require OFCOM to represent the Government on international and other bodies having communications functions and at international meetings about communications. The Secretary of State may also require OFCOM to become a member of or subscribe to international and other bodies having communications functions.
68.OFCOM may also, as respects the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or any British overseas territory, at the request of the Secretary of State, represent the Government on international and other bodies having communications functions and at international meetings about communications. However, the Secretary of State cannot require them to do this.
69.Subsection (3) provides that OFCOM must carry out these functions in accordance with directions by the Secretary of State; and subsection (4) provides that this does not allow the Secretary of State to direct that OFCOM must represent any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the British overseas territories but that if OFCOM do represent any of them, the Secretary of State may direct them how.
*communications functions are defined in subsection (5) as any function concerned with the use of the radio spectrum, television or radio broadcasting regulation, or any other matter in respect of which OFCOM have functions.
*subsection (5) also defines international meetings about communications as international meetings concerned with the use of the radio spectrum, broadcasting regulation or provision, or any other matter in respect of which OFCOM have functions.