Article 6 Amendments of the Office of Communications Act 2002

After paragraph 16 insert—

“Consent requirement for changes to certain bodies established by OFCOM

16A.

(1)

OFCOM may not—

(a)

abolish a relevant body,

(b)

remove functions from a relevant body, or

(c)

materially restrict the conditions under which a relevant body may exercise functions,

without the consent of the Secretary of State.

(2)

In this paragraph “relevant body” means—

(a)

the Consumer Panel established under section 16 of the Communications Act 2003; or

(b)

a committee established by OFCOM which, immediately before the coming into force of this paragraph, was—

(i)

the Content Board established in accordance with section 12 of the Communications Act 2003;

(ii)

the advisory committee for any part of the United Kingdom established in accordance with section 20 of that Act; or

(iii)

the advisory committee on elderly and disabled people established in accordance with section 21 of that Act.”