The Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 2006

Statutory Instruments

2006 No. 2894

Electronic CommunicationS

The Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 2006

Made

1st November 2006

Coming into force

1st December 2006

The Office of Communications (“OFCOM”) make the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred on OFCOM by sections 1 and 2(2) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1998(1) (“the 1998 Act”) and section 403(7) of the Communications Act 2003(2) (“the 2003 Act”) as applied by section 6(1) of the 1998 Act;

Before making these Regulations OFCOM have given notice of their proposal to do so in accordance with section 403(4)(a) of the 2003 Act as applied by section 6(1) of the 1998 Act, published notice of their proposal in accordance with section 403(4)(b) of the 2003 Act as applied by section 6(1) of the 1998 Act and have considered the representations made to them before the time specified in that notice in accordance with section 403(4)(c) of the 2003 Act as applied by section 6(1) of the 1998 Act.

Citation and commencement

1.  This Order may be cited as the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 and shall come into force on 1st December 2006.

Amendment of the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) Regulation 2005

2.  The Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) Regulations 2005 are hereby amended as follows —

(a) in regulation 5(3), in the definition of “relevant licence”, after “under the heading “Maritime” in Schedule 2” insert “apart from Ship Radio and Ship Portable Radio”; and

(b) in Schedule 2 —

(i) under the heading “Amateur and Citizens’ Band” in relation to the licence class “Amateur Radio”-

(aa) in the column under the heading “Variable sums” substitute “£20 for each licence that is not applied for electronically; no charge for persons aged 75 years or over.” for “£15 per person aged 21 years or over; no charge for persons aged under 21 years or aged 75 years or over.”;

(bb) in the column under the heading “Prescribed payment interval”, delete “12 months”;

(ii) under the heading “Maritime” in relation to the licence class “Ship Portable Radio”—

(aa) in the column under the heading “Fixed sums” delete “£15”;

(bb) in the column under the heading “Variable sums” insert “£20 for each licence that is not applied for electronically.”; and

(cc) in the column under the heading “Prescribed payment interval”, delete “12 months”; and

(iii) under the heading “Maritime” in relation to the licence class “Ship Radio”—

(aa) in the column under the heading “Fixed sums” delete “£20”;

(bb) in the column under the heading “Variable sums” insert “£20 for each licence that is not applied for electronically.”; and

(cc) in the column under the heading “Prescribed payment interval”, delete “12 months”.

Kip Meek

Chief Policy Partner

For and on the authority of the Office of Communications

1st November 2006

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/1378).

These Regulations —

(a) remove the concession that applies to registered charities that apply for Ship Radio and Ship Portable Radio licences;

(b) remove the waiver of licence fees for applicants for Amateur Radio licences who are under 21 years of age;

(c) remove the licence fees for Amateur Radio, Ship Radio and Ship Portable Radio licences where applicants apply for these classes of licences electronically; and

(d) set the licence fees in the amount of £20 for Amateur Radio, Ship Radio and Ship Portable Radio licences that are not applied for electronically.

A full regulatory impact assessment of the effect that these Regulations will have on the costs to business is available to the public from the OFCOM Library at Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HA (Tel: [phone]) or on OFCOM’s website at www.ofcom.org.uk. Copies of this assessment have also been placed in the libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

(1)

1998 c.6. Section 3 of the 1998 Act was amended by the Communications Act 2003 (c.21), section 167, section 406, Schedule 17, paragraph 149 and Schedule 19(1).

(2)

2003 c.21.