British Telecommunications Act 1981
Part I New Corporation for the Provision of Telecommunication and Data Processing Services
The Corporation
1 The Corporation.
Powers and duties of the Corporation
2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4, 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Powers of the Secretary of State over the Corporation
6 General control and supervision by the Secretary of State.
7, 8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Users’ Councils
9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Transfers of property, rights and liabilities
10 Transfers of property, rights and liabilities
11—20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Charges and other terms and conditions applicable to services
21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Limitation of liability
23. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Finance
24—27 General duty of the Corporation as to finance.
28(1) . . . . . . . . ....
29, 30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Corporation’s accounts, and audit thereof
31 The Corporation’s accounts and audit thereof.
Pensions
32. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
33 Power of the Secretary of State to make orders about pensions.
34. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rating
35. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
36 Rating in Scotland.
37—52. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Miscellaneous
53. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
54. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
55. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
56. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
57. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PART II The Post Office
Powers and duties of the Post Office
58 Powers of the Post Office
59 General duty of the Post Office.
60 Redistribution of property, rights and liabilities among wholly owned subsidiaries.
61 Control of wholly owned subsidiaries.
Powers of the Secretary of State over the Post Office
62 General control and supervision by the Secretary of State.
63 Activities requiring consultation with the Secretary of State.
64 Activities requiring approval of the Secretary of State.
Post Office Users’ Councils
65 Power to provide that certain services shall no longer be referable to Post Office Users’ Councils.
Exclusive privilege of the Post Office with respect to the conveyance etc. of letters
66 Exclusive privilege of the Post Office with respect to the conveyance etc. of letters.
67 General classes of acts not infringing the postal privilege.
68 Saving for things done under a licence.
69 Suspension of the postal privilege.
Limitation of liability
70 The Post Office to be subject to limited liability in respect of certain inland packets.
Finance
71 General duty of the Post Office as to finance.
72 Reserves of the Post Office and its wholly owned subsidiaries.
73 Borrowing powers of the Post Office and its wholly owned subsidiaries.
74 Limitation of indebtedness.
75 The Post Office’s accounts and audit thereof.
Pensions
76 Power of the Secretary of State to make orders about pensions.
Miscellaneous
77 Delivery boxes.
78 Interpretation and extent of Part II.
PART III Miscellaneous and General
79 Powers of Treasury to dispose etc. of the shares of Cable and Wireless Limited.
80. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
81 Stamp duty.
82 Tax provisions.
83 Financial provisions.
84 Power of managers of certain welfare funds to preserve their scope.
85 General interpretation.
86 Application to Northern Ireland.
87 Consequential amendments.
88 Transitional provisions.
89 Repeals and savings.
90 Short title and extent.
SCHEDULES
SCHEDULE 1 Provisions with respect to the Corporation and the Members thereof
Status
1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Members
3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. . . . . . . . . ....
6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Proceedings
8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Staff
11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fixing of seal and proof of instruments
14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
16. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCHEDULE 2 Provisions as to Transfers of Property, Rights and Liabilities
Allocation of property, rights and liabilities
1(1) The provisions of this paragraph and paragraph 2 shall...
2(1) It shall be the duty of the transferor and...
Rights and liabilities under contracts of employment
3(1) The provisions of this paragraph shall have effect where...
Right to production of documents of title
4Where on any transfer to which this Schedule applies the...
Perfection of vesting of certain property or rights
5Where in the case of any transfer to which this...
Proof of title by certificate
6In the case of any transfer to which this Schedule...
Restrictions on dealing with certain land
7If the Secretary of State is satisfied on the representation...
Construction of agreements, statutory provisions and documents
8Where in the case of any transfer to which this...
9Except as otherwise provided in any provision of this Act...
10Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of paragraphs...
11(1) References in paragraphs 8 to 10 to agreements to...
Third parties affected by vesting provisions
12(1) Without prejudice to the provisions of paragraphs 8 to...
SCHEDULE 3 Consequential Amendments
Part I General
1. . . . . . . . . ....
Part II Public General Enactments
Enactments relating to telegraphs
2—6. . . . . . . . . ....
Enactments relating to the supply of electricity
7, 8. . . . . . . . . ....
9. . . . . . . . . ....
Enactments relating to statutory undertakers
10(1) . . . . . . . . ....
11, 12. . . . . . . . . ....
Other enactments
13—22. . . . . . . . . ....
23. . . . . . . . . ....
24(1) . . . . . . . . ....
25, 26. . . . . . . . . ....
27. . . . . . . . . ....
28. . . . . . . . . ....
29. . . . . . . . . ....
30. . . . . . . . . ....
31. . . . . . . . . ....
32. . . . . . . . . ....
33. . . . . . . . . ....
34As from the appointed day, references in subsections (1) and...
35—38. . . . . . . . . ....
39. . . . . . . . . ....
40. . . . . . . . . ....
41(1) . . . . . . . . ....
42. . . . . . . . . ....
43. . . . . . . . . ....
44. . . . . . . . . ....
45. . . . . . . . . ....
46. . . . . . . . . ....
47. . . . . . . . . ....
48. . . . . . . . . ....
49. . . . . . . . . ....
50. . . . . . . . . ....
51(1) Section 7(2) of the 1969 Act (powers of the...
52. . . . . . . . . ....
53—55. . . . . . . . . ....
56. . . . . . . . . ....
57(1) . . . . . . . . ....
58—60. . . . . . . . . ....
61, 62. . . . . . . . . ....
63As from the date on which the Treasury first exercise...
64, 65. . . . . . . . . ....
66. . . . . . . . . ....
67(1) . . . . . . . . ....
68. . . . . . . . . ....
69—71. . . . . . . . . ....
72. . . . . . . . . ....
73(1) . . . . . . . . ....
74—76. . . . . . . . . ....
Part III Local Enactments and Subordinate Legislation
77—80. . . . . . . . . ....
81. . . . . . . . . ....
82, 83. . . . . . . . . ....
84As from the appointed day, article 7 of the Visiting...
SCHEDULE 4 General Transitional Provisions
1Except as otherwise provided by any provision of this Act...
2A direction given by the Secretary of State to the...
3(1) Subsections (1) and (2) of section 7 shall have...
4An approval given by the Secretary of State to the...
5Section 13(4) shall have effect as if any apparatus which...
6(1) A licence granted, or having effect as if granted,...
7(1) A scheme made by the Post Office under section...
8(1) Section 22(2) shall have effect as if any application...
9(1) Sections 26(3), 27(2), 73(3) and 74(2) shall have effect...
10An authorisation given, or having effect as if given, by...
11(1) A certificate given by the Post Office under section...
12An undertaking given, or having effect as if given, to...
13Where, on the appointed day, there are in progress any...
14(1) This paragraph applies to the following instruments, namely—
15A notice or certificate given, request made or requirement imposed...
16An authority granted under section 5(1) of the Telegraph Act...
17Any such council as is mentioned in the Telegraph Act...
18(1) A notice given under section 26 of the Electric...
19An order under section 24 of the Bankruptcy Act 1914...
20. . . . . . . . . ....
21(1) Nothing in this Act shall affect the validity of...
22(1) If the appointed day is other than a 1st...
SCHEDULE 5 Special Transitional Provisions with Respect to Patients for Inventions and Registered Designs
Part I Interpretation
1In this Schedule “ agreement to which this Schedule applies...
Part II Patents for Inventions
2. . . . . . . . . ....
3(1) Where an agreement to which this Schedule applies contains...
4Where by an agreement to which this Schedule applies, being...
5(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (3) where, on or after the...
6Where, in the case of an invention, an authority for...
7The authority of the Corporation in respect of an invention...
8(1) The Corporation shall have the power to use, for...
9(1) In relation to any use of a patented invention...
10(1) Any dispute as to the exercise by the Corporation...
11(1) Where, in pursuance of an agreement to which this...
12Expressions to which meanings are assigned by the Patents Act...
Part III Registered Designs
13(1) Where an agreement to which this Schedule applies contains...
14Where, by an agreement to which this Schedule applies, being...
15(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), where, on or after the...
16Where, in the case of a design, an authority for...
17The authority of the Corporation in respect of a design...
18(1) In the case of articles vested in the Corporation...
19(1) In relation to any use of a registered design...
20(1) Any dispute as to the exercise by the Corporation...
21(1) Where, in pursuance of an agreement to which this...
22Expressions to which meanings are assigned by the Registered Designs...
SCHEDULE 6 ENACTMENTS REPEALED
Part I Enactments Repealed on the Passing of this Act
Northern Ireland Legislation
Part II Enactments Repealed on the Appointed Day
Northern Ireland Legislation

British Telecommunications Act 1981

1981 c. 38

An Act to establish a public corporation to be called British Telecommunications; to make provision with respect to its functions and to transfer to it certain property, rights and liabilities of the Post Office; to make further provision with respect to the Post Office; to provide for dealings by the Treasury in the shares of Cable and Wireless Limited; to amend the Telegraphs Acts; and for connected purposes.

Annotations:
Commencement Information
I1

Act partly in force at Royal Assent; Act wholly in force on 1.10.1981 (day appointed under s. 1(2) (now repealed)) by S.I. 1981/1274.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)