Communications Act 2003

Listed events rules

51 (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), Part 4 of the 1996 Act (sporting and other events of national interest) is to have effect in relation to times on or after the television transfer date as if anything done before that date by or in relation to the ITC had been done by or in relation to OFCOM.

(2) The code drawn up by the ITC under section 104 of the 1996 Act (code of guidance as to the operation of Part 4) and in force immediately before the commencement of section 301 of this Act is to continue to have effect (notwithstanding the substitutions made by that section of this Act)—

(a) until the code drawn up by OFCOM under that section comes into force; but

(b) in relation to times on or after the transfer date and before the coming into force of OFCOM’s code, as if references in section 104(2) of that Act and in the code to the ITC were references to OFCOM.

(3) If a provision of sections 300 to 302 of this Act comes into force before the television transfer date, a reference to OFCOM in an amendment made by that provision is to be construed in relation to times before that date as a reference to the ITC.

(4) On the date on which section 300 of this Act comes into force, the Secretary of State shall revise the list maintained for the purposes of Part 4 of the 1996 Act in order to allocate each event which is a listed event on that date either to Group A or to Group B.

(5) Where—

(a) the events listed in the list in force immediately before the Secretary of State revises it under sub-paragraph (4) are treated, for any of the purposes of the code in force under section 104 of the 1996 Act at that time, as divided into two categories, and

(b) the Secretary of State’s revision under that sub-paragraph makes the same division,

section 97(2) of the 1996 Act shall not apply in relation to that revision of that list.

(6) In this paragraph “the transfer date” is the date on which paragraph 13 of Schedule 1 comes into force.