Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to implement proposals from the Law Commission to reform the Electronic Communications Code by introducing red book value parameters governing wayleave negotiations between communications providers and land owners.

DCMS plans to reform the Electronic Communications Code in line with the recommendations set out by the Law Commission in its report of February 2013. In this report, the Law Commission concluded that the existing market based approach to valuation was on the whole, functioning, but recommended some small modifications to improve the valuation regime. Government accepts this recommendation and will implement this reform. However, Government will also take a Power in the legislation, to allow the Secretary of State to make further changes to the wayleave valuation regime, if necessary following consultation, at a later date following full consultation. Government intends to lay amendments to the Infrastructure Bill.