The Telecommunication Meters (Approval Fees) (British Approvals Board for Telecommunications) Order 1992

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order provides for the charging of fees in respect of the approval of meters under section 24 of the Telecommunications Act 1984.

The Secretary of State, after carrying out the consultation required by the Act, appointed the British Approvals Board for Telecommunications (BABT) on 24th November 1988 under section 25 of the Act, to the extent and subject to the conditions set out in the appointment, to carry out the functions conferred on him in respect of the approval of meters. The appointment authorises BABT to retain the fees which are provided for in this Order and which BABT will charge in respect of exercising the Secretary of State’s approval functions under section 24.

The fees provided for in this Order are payable in respect of the activities of BABT necessary for the exercise of the approval function. The application fee (article 3(a)) covers the consideration of applications for approval, which includes the appraisal of licensees' metering systems and assessment against the standard designated by the Director General of Telecommunications under section 24(6)(b) of the Act. The continuation fee (article 3(b)) covers the monitoring of metering system subsequent to the grant of approval in accordance with conditions imposed under section 24(4).

Article 4(2) sets the fee at £43.24 per man-hour taken in the exercise of the approval functions by BABT, plus value added tax (VAT). The fees are payable monthly in arrears upon the delivery of BABT’s tax invoice (article 4(4)).

The letter of appointment of BABT, and the standard designated under section 24(6) of the Act, may be inspected at the Office of Telecommunications, Export House, 50 Ludgate Hill, London EC4M 7JJ.