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Telecommunications Equipment (Approval)

Volume 22: debated on Tuesday 20 April 1982

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asked the Secretary of State for Industry if, in the light of the delay by British Telecom in approving such attachments as transtel telex teleprinters for private sector supply and maintenance, he will now investigate the merits of establishing a national communication commission with powers of approval in place of British Telecom.

The Government are in the process of transferring responsibility for the approval of telecommunication subscriber's apparatus in stages from British Telecom to an independent body, the British Approvals Board for Telecommunications. Since the BABT will take over from BT responsibility for approval of such apparatus as telex teleprinters and will commence operations in July 1982, I am not investigating any alternative arrangement such as a national communication commission.