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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Answer

Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he intends to take legal action against Spain in respect of its instruction to mobile telephone operators not to sign roaming agreements with the Gibraltar Mobile Phone Company; [161087] (2) what action he has taken following Spain's decision not to recognise Gilbraltar's international dialling code; what assessment he has made of the impact of this decision; and if he will make a statement; [161085] (3) what representations he has made to the EU competition authorities regarding telecommunications and Gibraltar; [161090] (4) what compensation he is seeking from Spain for damage to the Gibraltar economy as a result of Spain's decisions on telecommunications policy in respect of Gibraltar; [161088] (5) what assessment he has made of the combined impact of the use of least cost routing and Spain's decision not to recognise Gibraltar's international dialling code on the Gibraltar economy; [161089] (6) when Gibraltar exhausted its supply of telephone numbers; and what representations he has made to Spain on this subject. [161086] Mr. McWilliam: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what recent representations he has made to the EU competition authorities about mobile telephone companies based in Gibraltar; [161037] (2) what plans he has to take legal action against the Spanish Government relating to its actions on restricting mobile telephone use relating to mobile telephone companies based in Gibraltar. [161039] Mr. Vaz: HMG are concerned about the various problems which Gibraltar is experiencing over telecommunications. Spain does not recognise Gibraltar's International Direct Dialling code which is recognised by every other country. Gibraltar has now virtually exhausted its numbering capacity. The European Commission, which under the EC Treaty has primary responsibility for upholding Community Law, including competition law, is considering two private competition complaints relating to Gibraltar telecommunications, one of which concerns mobile roaming. HMG have made clear that they support these complaints. The Government of Gibraltar have also brought to our attention problems with Gibraltar-bound international calls failing to reach their destination. We are working hard to identify the exact cause of the problem of dropped calls, and the best way forward. HMG are in direct contact with the Commission on all these matters. We raise them with the Spanish Government, at both ministerial and official level, at every appropriate opportunity, and will continue to do so.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

368 c453-4W;368 c454-5W; 161087;161085;161090;161088;161089;161086

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Competition Gibraltar EU action Mobile phones Telecommunications Telephones Spain

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk