Steve Limb gave the group an overview of the project so far. Explaining to the members why they had been invited and the way in which this particular group fitted in with the other groups working within the project.

The group looked at the draft Terms of Reference (see appendix A) and suggested several amendments. It was agreed that the members should take the draft Terms of Reference away from the meeting and forward any further changes to the secretary within a week. The amended draft would then be e-mailed to all members for approval and then posted onto the Agency website.

The group looked at the legal advice given by the DTI legal services directorate. The members present agreed that five years would be a sensible amount of notice to give to licensees and that as this was the figure which had been deemed to be a sensible compromise by the Industry Working Group then this was likely to be an acceptable amount of time to the majority of licensees.

The group also discussed the implementation stage of the project and the variety of ways in which the band reversal could be implemented. Several members expressed the opinion that the plan should be as adaptable as possible as it is impossible to predict what technological advances will have been made within the next five years.

Steve Limb explained the work that Michael Hodson was doing assessing the economic impact of band reversal. The key question that he is investigating is whether it will be of greater benefit to the economy for the Agency to subsidise the realignment, so that the process is accelerated, or whether it is more economically sound to let industry bear the full cost of realignment, accepting the longer timescale that this will necessitate.

Colin Dalziel informed the group that the Police in Scotland had still not confirmed that they were going to take part in PSRCP. The timescale for realignment was therefore still at least two years behind that for England and Wales.

The members of the group agreed to take away the drafts for the Formal Notice and the Terms of Reference and submit any comments to the secretary within a week. They also undertook to take away and study the band plan and to bring any fresh ideas that they have about it to the next meeting of the group.

It was agreed that the group should meet after the next meeting of the Industry Working Group, which will take place on May 9^th, with an agenda parallel to that of the Industry Group.

There was no other business.

The date of the next meeting will be circulated when it is confirmed

Appendix A:

The objective of the group is to achieve general agreement on a revised band plan that complies with European directiveTR25-08.

The group is not purely a consultative group but rather an integral part of the implementation process reporting its findings to, and meeting at least as regularly as, the Project Board.

The group will consider the project from a spectrum management viewpoint, providing a consultation and advisory avenue also considering OGD user aspects. The group will provide detail on:

· A possible UK band plan

· Difficulties of achieving the above

· Spectrum management issues and the facilitation of new technology

· Implementation and time scale issues