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Section 229: Report in anticipation of new licensing round

Communications Act 2003 · 2003 c. 21View on legislation.gov.uk

Part 3: Television and Radio Services ETC — Chapter 2: Regulatory Structure for Independent Television Services

OFCOM must, in anticipation of the end of each licensing period for a type of relevant licence—

prepare a report under this section; and
submit it to the Secretary of State no later than thirty months before the end of that period.

A report under this section must set out OFCOM's opinion on the effect of each of the matters mentioned in subsection (3) on the capacity of the holder or holders of that type of licence to contribute, in the next licensing period, to the fulfilment of the public service remit for television in the United Kingdom at a cost to the licence holder or holders that is commercially sustainable.

Those matters are—

the arrangements that (but for an order under section 230) would allow for the renewal of that type of licence from the end of the current licensing period; and
the conditions included in the regulatory regimes for the services provided under that type of licence.

A report under this section must also include the recommendations (if any) which OFCOM consider, in the light of the opinion set out in the report, should be made to the Secretary of State for the exercise by him of—

his power under section 230; or
any of the powers to make statutory instruments that are conferred on him by Chapter 4 of this Part.

Subsection (5) applies where the Secretary of State—

receives a report under this section in anticipation of the end of a licensing period for a type of relevant licence, and
subsequently makes an order under section 224 extending the licensing period for that type of licence.

Where this subsection applies—

the Secretary of State may require OFCOM to prepare a supplementary report in the light of the postponement of the beginning of the next licensing period for that type of licence; and
it shall be the duty of OFCOM, within such period as may be specified by the Secretary of State, to prepare the required supplementary report and to submit it to him.

In this section—

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This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.