Paragraph 56

After section 134AB^f1 insert—

“Use of reports

134AC

(1)

The Secretary of State must have regard to reports received from OFCOM under section 134A, or published by OFCOM under section 134AA, when exercising functions for any of the relevant purposes.

(2)

The relevant purposes are—

(a)

the allocation of public funds for the bringing into operation of electronic communications networks;

(b)

the design of national broadband plans;

(c)

verifying the availability of services to which universal service conditions apply.

(3)

Any other public authority must have regard to reports published by OFCOM under section 134AA when exercising functions for either of the purposes specified in subsection (2)(a) and (b).”.