Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the International Telecommunication Union has ever challenged the use of military spectrum by the (a) UK and (b) US.

Individual countries have the sovereign right to manage and use the radio spectrum, within their borders, the way they wish, subject to not causing interference with other countries.

This right is recognised in the Radio Regulations. The Radio Regulations are the international framework for the use of spectrum by radiocommunication services, defined and managed by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Individual countries, not the ITU, make their own sovereign spectrum assignments in accordance with the Radio Regulations. The ITU has no legal authority over these assignments regardless of the country’s civilian or military classification of spectrum.

The ITU cannot challenge the UK’s use of civilian or military spectrum. It is possible that one country could challenge another’s spectrum use, for instance if it should cause harmful interference across borders, and if unresolved bilaterally could seek arbitration through an ITU body (Radio Regulations Board).