Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the renewal of the licence for supplying communication services to the government of St Helena, what plans they have for competitive tendering in the process of granting the new licence.
The St Helena Government is responsible for the island's telecommunications policy as this is a devolved matter. Telecommunications on St Helena are currently governed under a 10-year licence issued to a service provider in 2012 which expires on 31 December 2022.
The St Helena Government is responsible for negotiating the new licence and has appointed technical consultants to assist in a review of the new licence and the future procurement exercise. The St Helena Government's tender process for the new licence holder has commenced and the deadline date for proposals is 26 February 2021.