Propose a change

Digital Economy Act 2017

Write the words of this act the way you think they should read. Solon shows your change as a redline against the published text and pins it to that exact text, so it can never be applied to wording you did not see.

Change 1

What to do with it
As published

86 Information required from communications providers

(1) The Communications Act 2003 is amended as follows. (2) After section 137 insert— Information required from communications providers 137A (1) OFCOM may require a communications provider— (a) to publish any information held by the provider, or (b) to provide any such information to OFCOM for publication by OFCOM. (2) The information that OFCOM may require the communications provider to publish or provide under subsection (1) includes information that OFCOM require the provider to produce, generate or obtain for that purpose. (3) For that purpose OFCOM may, in particular, require the communications provider— (a) to collect or retain any information that the provider would not otherwise collect or retain, (b) to process, collate or analyse any information held by the provider, or (c) to answer any questions. (4) The power conferred by this section may be exercised only— (a) in connection with OFCOM's functions— (i) under Part 1, so far as relating to electronic communications, or (ii) under this Chapter, and (b) in such a way as is proportionate to the use to which the information is to be put in connection with those functions. (5) The power conferred by this section is to be exercised by a demand, contained in a notice served on the communications provider, that— (a) describes the information required to be published or provided, and (b) sets out OFCOM's reasons for requiring it to be published or provided. (6) Before serving the notice on the communications provider, OFCOM must— (a) serve a draft of the notice on the provider and inform the provider of the period for making representations, and (b) consider any representations made by the provider within that period which— (i) identify restrictions on the disclosure or publication of information that would or might prevent the provider from complying with the notice, or (ii) otherwise relate to the practicability of complying with it. (7) The communications provider must publish or provide the information required by the notice in such manner and form, in accordance with such other requirements, and within such reasonable period, as may be specified by OFCOM. (8) Where OFCOM publish anything provided to them pursuant to subsection (1)(b) they must do so in such manner and form as they consider appropriate. Section 137A: confidential matters 137B (1) In exercising functions under section 137A, OFCOM must have regard to the need to exclude from publication, so far as that is practicable, the matters which are confidential in accordance with subsections (2) and (3). (2) A matter is confidential under this subsection if— (a) it relates specifically to the affairs of a particular body, and (b) publication of that matter would or might, in OFCOM's opinion, seriously and prejudicially affect the interests of that body. (3) A matter is confidential under this subsection if— (a) it relates to the private affairs of an individual, and (b) publication of that matter would or might, in OFCOM's opinion, seriously and prejudicially affect the interests of that individual. (3) In section 138 (notification of contravention of information requirements)— (a) in subsection (1), for “135 or 136” substitute “ 135, 136 or 137A ”, and (b) for subsection (2)(d) substitute— (d) specifies what the person must do in order to comply with the requirement; . (4) In section 140 (suspending service provision for information contraventions), in subsections (1)(a) and (7), for “135 and 136, or either” substitute “ 135, 136 and 137A, or any ”. (5) In section 144 (offences in connection with information requirements)— (a) in subsection (1), after “or 136” insert “ , or who contravenes a requirement imposed under section 137A, ”, (b) in subsection (2)(b), for “provide the required information” substitute “ comply with the requirement ”, (c) in subsection (3)— (i) for “135 or 136” substitute “ 135, 136 or 137A ”, and (ii) after “provides” (in both places) insert “ or publishes ”, and (d) in subsection (5), for paragraph (b) substitute— (b) a confirmation decision has been given under section 139A in respect of that requirement and the period allowed under that decision has expired without the requirement have been complied with; and . (6) In section 145(1) (statement of policy on information gathering)— (a) in paragraph (a), for “135 to 136” substitute “ 135, 136 and 137A ”, and (b) in paragraph (b), for “those sections” substitute “ sections 135 and 136 ”. (7) In section 393(6)(a) (general restrictions on disclosure of information), before “or 390” insert “ , 137A ”.

Your change, as a redline

86 Information required from communications providers

(1) The Communications Act 2003 is amended as follows. (2) After section 137 insert— Information required from communications providers 137A (1) OFCOM may require a communications provider— (a) to publish any information held by the provider, or (b) to provide any such information to OFCOM for publication by OFCOM. (2) The information that OFCOM may require the communications provider to publish or provide under subsection (1) includes information that OFCOM require the provider to produce, generate or obtain for that purpose. (3) For that purpose OFCOM may, in particular, require the communications provider— (a) to collect or retain any information that the provider would not otherwise collect or retain, (b) to process, collate or analyse any information held by the provider, or (c) to answer any questions. (4) The power conferred by this section may be exercised only— (a) in connection with OFCOM's functions— (i) under Part 1, so far as relating to electronic communications, or (ii) under this Chapter, and (b) in such a way as is proportionate to the use to which the information is to be put in connection with those functions. (5) The power conferred by this section is to be exercised by a demand, contained in a notice served on the communications provider, that— (a) describes the information required to be published or provided, and (b) sets out OFCOM's reasons for requiring it to be published or provided. (6) Before serving the notice on the communications provider, OFCOM must— (a) serve a draft of the notice on the provider and inform the provider of the period for making representations, and (b) consider any representations made by the provider within that period which— (i) identify restrictions on the disclosure or publication of information that would or might prevent the provider from complying with the notice, or (ii) otherwise relate to the practicability of complying with it. (7) The communications provider must publish or provide the information required by the notice in such manner and form, in accordance with such other requirements, and within such reasonable period, as may be specified by OFCOM. (8) Where OFCOM publish anything provided to them pursuant to subsection (1)(b) they must do so in such manner and form as they consider appropriate. Section 137A: confidential matters 137B (1) In exercising functions under section 137A, OFCOM must have regard to the need to exclude from publication, so far as that is practicable, the matters which are confidential in accordance with subsections (2) and (3). (2) A matter is confidential under this subsection if— (a) it relates specifically to the affairs of a particular body, and (b) publication of that matter would or might, in OFCOM's opinion, seriously and prejudicially affect the interests of that body. (3) A matter is confidential under this subsection if— (a) it relates to the private affairs of an individual, and (b) publication of that matter would or might, in OFCOM's opinion, seriously and prejudicially affect the interests of that individual. (3) In section 138 (notification of contravention of information requirements)— (a) in subsection (1), for “135 or 136” substitute “ 135, 136 or 137A ”, and (b) for subsection (2)(d) substitute— (d) specifies what the person must do in order to comply with the requirement; . (4) In section 140 (suspending service provision for information contraventions), in subsections (1)(a) and (7), for “135 and 136, or either” substitute “ 135, 136 and 137A, or any ”. (5) In section 144 (offences in connection with information requirements)— (a) in subsection (1), after “or 136” insert “ , or who contravenes a requirement imposed under section 137A, ”, (b) in subsection (2)(b), for “provide the required information” substitute “ comply with the requirement ”, (c) in subsection (3)— (i) for “135 or 136” substitute “ 135, 136 or 137A ”, and (ii) after “provides” (in both places) insert “ or publishes ”, and (d) in subsection (5), for paragraph (b) substitute— (b) a confirmation decision has been given under section 139A in respect of that requirement and the period allowed under that decision has expired without the requirement have been complied with; and . (6) In section 145(1) (statement of policy on information gathering)— (a) in paragraph (a), for “135 to 136” substitute “ 135, 136 and 137A ”, and (b) in paragraph (b), for “those sections” substitute “ sections 135 and 136 ”. (7) In section 393(6)(a) (general restrictions on disclosure of information), before “or 390” insert “ , 137A ”.

One line that says what changes, such as "Halve the dog tax".

Who it helps, what it costs, what it fixes. It is what persuades people to support it.

A proposal here is not law. Support on Solon is evidence that people want the change; the official route says what it takes to make it law.

Sign in to file your proposal. What you have written stays on this page.

Sign in to file it

Think it through

Ask what your change would do, who would gain and who would bear a cost, and where something like it is already law. The assistant reads your draft as it stands, cites the law and the studies it finds, and takes no side. What you file stays yours.

Questions to start with
Think it through
Legal information from the published text, not advice for your case. Check the sources. Find a law · What the register holds