EU: Electronic Communications Framework

Baroness Wilkins Excerpts

Wednesday 11th May 2011 Lords Chamber

Asked By

[Baroness Wilkins]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they will ensure the implementation of the European Union electronic communications framework.

[Baroness Rawlings]

My Lords, Her Majesty’s Government have worked closely with the regulators, Ofcom and the Information Commissioner’s Office, as well as all the people concerned, to identify the legislative changes to implement the EU electronic communications framework. These are being implemented through a negative statutory instrument which was laid before Parliament on 5 May, ahead of the deadline of 25 May 2011.

[Baroness Wilkins]

I thank the Minister. Would she agree that the use of the telephone is essential if you are to be treated equally in today’s society, and that the 50,000 deaf people who rely on British Sign Language do not have that same access to telecommunications as hearing people? The technology exists in the video relay service, which has been universally available in the United States for the past nine years. What action will the Government take to ensure that the telecommunications market meets deaf consumers’ needs now that this EU framework places a duty on them to do so?

[Baroness Rawlings]

The noble Baroness, Lady Wilkins, makes reference to a very important part of the European framework whose use is essential especially for the deaf. We are of course sympathetic to the challenges faced by deaf users when accessing telephone and other services. However, the framework makes it clear that decisions regarding such services, including the provision of video relay services, can only be made by Ofcom, the regulator, after a process of review, consultation, cost-benefit analysis and a proportionality test. Ofcom is currently conducting a review of relay services and the Minister, Ed Vaizey, met recently with members of the UK Council on Deafness.

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Wilkins]

Does the Minister agree that Ofcom has been dragging its feet for nine years? It has done nine reviews on this and still nothing has happened. We need government intervention to force Ofcom to get on with it.

[Baroness Rawlings]

As I mentioned before, I know that this has been quite a long process with regard to Ofcom. That is why the Minister, Ed Vaizey, is looking into this and trying to push it further. We are fully aware of the noble Baroness’s concerns.