Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Barran on 19 July (HL1998) and Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 27 October (HL3096), what plans they have to protect consumers under the Mobile Roaming (EU Exit) Regulations 2019; and what discussions, if any, they are having with Ofcom on the imposition of roaming charges on customers travelling to the EU.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Consumers are protected under the Mobile Roaming (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 which is the legislation in force to ensure mobile operators apply a financial limit on mobile data usage while users are abroad. The limit on data usage abroad is £45, which means a consumer cannot spend more than £45 unless they actively consent to continue spending over this cap.
Officials have had recent discussions with representatives of Ofcom to discuss a range of issues, including on the issue of mobile roaming.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 12 October 2021 (HL2827), (1) when was the last occasion that they met with mobile network operators to discuss roaming charges, and (2) what steps, through legislation or otherwise, they are taking to prevent the reintroduction of roaming charges.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Ministers and officials have had recent discussions with senior representatives of mobile operators on a range of issues, including on the issue of mobile roaming. The last Ministerial-level meeting with mobile operators was in September 2021.
During negotiations for the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU, the UK proposed the continuation of reciprocal agreements between the UK and EU to enable surcharge-free roaming. The EU did not agree. The decision on whether to impose a surcharge on consumers travelling abroad to the EU for their mobile phone usage is one for operators. We advise that consumers check with their operators before travelling.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Barran on 13 February (HL605) and 19 July (HL1998), what discussions they have had with the mobile network operators Three, EE and Vodafone about the reintroduction of roaming charges for UK customers in the EU; and what steps they will take to prevent the reintroduction of these charges.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Ministers and officials have regular discussions with senior representatives of mobile operators on a range of issues, including on the issue of mobile roaming, and HM Government will continue to promote a competitive marketplace that serves the interests of consumers.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 7 July 2021 (HL1337) regarding the duration of visa-free travel in the EU, and further to the Prime Minister's statement to the House of Commons Liaison Committee on 7 July (Question 125) regarding visa-free travel for touring artists and musicians that they are working to "sort it out", (1) who is working on visa waiver or extension, (2) to which minister they report, and (3) with which member states of the EU they are negotiating.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government recognises the importance of our world leading creative and cultural industries. That is why the UK took an ambitious approach during negotiations with the EU that would have ensured that touring musicians, performers and their support staff did not need work-permits to perform in the EU. Regrettably, our proposals were rejected by the EU, but our door remains open if the EU wants to reconsider its position.
A bespoke visa waiver agreement with the EU would require the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) to be renegotiated. The TCA is the basis of our trading relations with the EU, and this is not going to be renegotiated. Furthermore, the Commission would be likely to argue that any EU-wide visa waiver agreement can only be part of a wider package with a binding non-discrimination clause and a reciprocal visa waiver agreement covering all current and future Member States. This was what the Commission proposed in the negotiations and would be incompatible with our manifesto commitment to retain control of our borders.
Our focus is now on engaging with Member States, who are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake in the EU. We have spoken to every Member State, involving British Embassies and DCMS ministers. We have established that musicians and performers do not require visas or work permits for short-term tours in at least 19 out of 27 Member States, including France and Germany.
We are now working closely with individual Member States that do require visas or permits for short-term touring to encourage them to adopt a more flexible approach, in line with the UK’s own rules which allow creative professionals to tour easily here. These countries are Spain, Portugal, Greece, Croatia, Malta, Bulgaria, and Romania. We are also still confirming the details of requirements with Cyprus.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Barran on 13 February 2020 (HL 605), what legislation is now in force to ensure mobile phone operators apply a financial limit on mobile data usage while users are abroad; what are those limits, and what powers they have if any UK mobile provider gives notice to its customers that it intends to levy excess charges.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Mobile Roaming (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 is the legislation in force to ensure mobile operators apply a financial limit on mobile data usage while users are abroad. The limit on data usage abroad is £45, which means a consumer cannot spend more than £45 unless they actively consent to continue spending over this cap.
The communications regulator Ofcom has powers to set out the instances where UK mobile providers are required to give notice of price changes. Ofcom’s General Conditions set out that providers should give notice not shorter than one month of any modifications likely to be of material detriment and allow its customers to withdraw from their contracts without penalty upon such notice.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, and plan to have, with tourism ministers in the EU and other European countries to cooperate and coordinate plans to open travel between countries in Europe
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Minister for Tourism discussed the recovery and lifting of travel restrictions with ministers from several European countries and the European Commission at the recent Extraordinary G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting on COVID-19. We will work closely with foreign governments to help the global tourism industry recover from the current crisis.
Officials in my Department are also in regular contact with the OECD and World Travel and Tourism Council. We continue to share information about the UK’s response to COVID-19.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, and if so how, they intend to ensure that UK consumers will continue to have the same benefits in respect of roaming charges as they currently enjoy under EU legislation after Brexit; and whether they intend to legislate to ensure that UK mobile services providers give the same protection to UK citizens as EU citizens in the EU currently enjoy.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The current rules on mobile roaming in the EU endure until the end of the Transition Period. Following the Transition Period the arrangements for roaming, including surcharges, would depend on the outcome of the negotiations with the EU. Discussions with the EU on arrangements for consumers, for example in the area of mobile roaming, are not precluded. However, the government has already legislated to ensure that the requirements on mobile operators to apply a financial limit on mobile data usage while abroad is retained in UK law post-Transition Period.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to (1) replace EU legislation about mobile telephone roaming charges, and (2) ensure that UK subscribers are protected from excessive charges after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Lord Ashton of Hyde
In the event of a deal, surcharge-free roaming would continue to be guaranteed during the Implementation Period. Following the Implementation Period the arrangements for roaming, including surcharges, would depend on the outcome of the negotiations on the Future Economic Partnership. The Political Declaration on the UK's Future Economic Partnership proposes a framework for negotiations with the EU, including for services and digital sectors. That approach would not preclude discussions with the EU on arrangements for consumers, for example in the area of mobile roaming.
In the event of no deal, the government has published a technical notice on mobile roaming. This is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mobile-roaming-if-theres-no-brexit-deal/mobile-roaming-if-theres-no-brexit-deal
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they supported the decision of the Council of the European Union to postpone the implementation of the European Commission's proposal to abolish roaming charges by 2015 until 2018; and, if so, why.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
UK has consistently pushed for faster reductions to roaming charges in the EU, leading to their abolition. I am therefore pleased that, on 29 June, the European Council, Parliament and Commission reached agreement on the Telecoms Single Market Package.
As a result, from June 2017 British visitors will no longer be charged extra to use their mobile phones anywhere in the EU. From June 2016 until the abolition of roaming charges, the amount providers can charge for roaming will be about 25% of current roaming tariffs for calls and data.
The UK has been central to shaping these negotiations, which will result in real benefits for UK consumers, demonstrating that the UK can achieve positive change in the EU when we work with determination with other Member States and the EU institutions.