Telecommunications Act 1984

20Approval of contractors

(1)Where licences granted under section 7 above include provisions which are framed by reference to the carrying out of relevant operations by persons for the time being approved under this section then, for the purposes of those provisions, persons may be approved under this section in relation to such operations—

(a)by the Secretary of State ; or

(b)with the consent of, or in accordance with a general authorisation given by, the Secretary of State, by the Director.

(2)A person applying for an approval under this section may be required by the person to whom the application is made to comply with such requirements as the person to whom the application is made may think appropriate; and those requirements may include a requirement to satisfy some other person with respect to any matter.

(3)An approval under this section may apply either to a particular person or to persons of a description specified in the approval, and may so apply either in relation to particular relevant operations or in relation to relevant operations of a description so specified.

(4)An approval under this section may specify conditions which must be complied with if the approval is to apply, for any purposes specified in the approval, to any person who is so specified or is of a description so specified; and any such condition may impose on the person to whom the approval is given a requirement from time to time to satisfy any person with respect to any matter.

(5)Nothing in this section shall preclude a person (not being the Secretary of State or the Director) by whom any matter falls to be determined for the purposes of any requirement imposed in pursuance of subsection (2) or (4) above from charging any fee in respect of the carrying out of any test or other assessment made by him.

(6)Any power conferred by this section to give an approval includes power to vary or withdraw an approval given in exercise of that power.

(7)The Secretary of State shall send to the Director—

(a)a copy of every approval given by him under this section ; and

(b)particulars of every variation or withdrawal of an approval so given.

(8)The Secretary of State may by order provide for the charging of fees in respect of the exercise of any functions conferred by or under this section.

(9)Any sums received by the Secretary of State or the Director under this section shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

(10)In this section " relevant operations " means the installation, maintenance, adjustment, repair, alteration, moving, removal or replacement of apparatus which is or is to be connected to any telecommunication system to which a licence under section 7 above relates.