Ofcom - HF Broadcast Licensing Position

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Peter Eckersley used the United Kingdom's Freedom of Information (FoI) Requests procedure to discover Ofcom's position on the licensing of HF broadcast stations in the UK

“Regarding your e-mail dated 23 July, your understanding is correct that HF frequencies require to be co-ordinated internationally, and that Ofcom has no plans to license any new shortwave frequencies. This is because the government’s stated policy is for broadcast radio to gradually move away from analogue transmission towards digital means of transmission, and DAB in particular.

One factual correction I would like to make from our previous response on this issue….Ofcom licenses the HF transmissions of the BBC World Service under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, and not under powers granted to Ofcom in the BBC’s Charter.”
— Ofcom Reply

NoVs Changes for UK Intermediate Amateur Radio Operators

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UK Amateur / Ham Radio Intermediate licence holders will no longer be able to apply for Notices of Variation to their licence for Repeaters or Internet Gateways, existing NoV's will not be renewed

“In the past, the spectrum regulator permitted the variation of Intermediate licences. We are phasing that out. We shall not grant new variations to Intermediate licensees and existing variations will not be renewed when they expire. This will return us to the position where only Full licensees enjoy these privileges. This typically involves variations for repeaters and internet gateways.”
— Ofcom Website

Information regarding who can apply for a Amateur / Ham Radio Licence Variation - 
http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radiocommunication-licences/amateur-radio/faq/1498947

European Common Allocation Table

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The 2015 annual update of the European Common Allocation Table includes an upgrade of the status of the 70 MHz amateur / ham radio band 

The 70 MHz band has been upgraded from a mere information note to something a bit more substantial for other European countries.

Previously there was an informational only note which read: 

"EU9: In a growing number of CEPT countries, parts of the band 70.0-70.5 MHz are also allocated to the Amateur Service on a secondary basis."

Now, after a lot of hard work by David Court, EI3IO in IARU Region 1 and supported by RSGB and other member societies, the revised EU9 reads: 

“CEPT administrations may authorise all or parts of the band between  69.9-70.5 MHz to the amateur service on a secondary basis.”

Note there will be NO change in the UK allocation, 69.9 MHz is a special allocation for Germany.

European Common Allocation Table - 
http://www.erodocdb.dk/Docs/doc98/official/pdf/ERCREP025.PDF