Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the report of the National Audit Office entitled 4G radio spectrum auction: lessons learned, published on 12 March 2014, HC 968, what discussions he has had with Ofcom on the recommendation that pre-auction reviews of competition be conducted in future spectrum releases.
Ofcom, in performing its statutory duties in relation to award of rights to use spectrum, conducts impact assessments of each award. This includes assessing how an award would further the interests of consumers in relevant markets, where appropriate by promoting competition. It is for Ofcom in the first instance to consider whether a pre-auction review of competition is necessary or justified. Ofcom, properly, consults on how they propose to design spectrum awards and on their impact assessments. |