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The autumn
has seen more progress on the important groundwork for creating
OFCOM as the new communications regulator.
On 12 October
the Regulators Steering Group (see box) published a scoping study
report by management consultants Towers Perrin. The report sets
out a possible template for OFCOM's high level structure and a
transition plan covering the work that needs to be done to get
the new organisation up and running by the end of 2003.
Director General
of Telecommunications David Edmonds made the report available
to Oftel's stakeholders the same day through Oftel's website.
You can see the report at www.oftel.gov.uk/publications/about/towe1001.pdf..
The RSG also
issued a joint press release inviting views on:
- the proposed
vision for OFCOM
- OFCOM's
organisation design criteria
- the initial
thinking on the shape of the organisation and how it divides
up its work
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Regulators Steering Group (RSG) includes representatives
from central Government (the DTI and DCMS), Oftel, and the
other regulators whose responsibilities will pass to OFCOM:
the Broadcasting Standards Commission (BSC), Independent Television
Commission (ITC), Radio Authority and Radiocommunications
Agency (RA). RSG members include the Director General of Telecommunications,
David Edmonds, and the heads of the other organisations involved,
who are collborating closely on the preparatory work needed
to create OFCOM. In addition, a number of transition teams,
each including representatives from all five agencies, are
working on specific areas of the transition such as IT, human
resources and communications. |
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Opening the first
Oftel Forum attended by a range of stakeholders, where OFCOM was one
of the topics discussed, David Edmonds said:
"With this
scoping study completed we have reached an important stage in the journey
towards OFCOM. The Towers Perrin report and the further work we plan
will help the OFCOM Board lay firm foundations for the creation of the
new organisation when it is appointed in 2002."
Meanwhile the Office
of Communications Bill is continuing its passage through Parliament
and is expected to come into force early in 2002. It will give the Government
power to establish a small OFCOM Board which will be responsible for
setting up the new organisation.
Appointments to
the Board are expected to be completed around the autumn of 2002. Publication
for consultation of a draft main Bill, covering OFCOM's regulatory duties
and responsibilities, is expected in the spring of 2002.
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