On 19/09/2012 22:02, David Conrad wrote: > Assuming for the sake of argument that the 51/8 is actually unused > (which it apparently isn't), the UK gov't would be under no contractual > obligation to return the address space to IANA (which is (arguably) the > allocating registry, not RIPE) -- I believe that "class A" was allocated > prior to the existence of the RIRs and registration service agreements.
the ripe ncc has short-circuited this particular argument by committing to hand back to IANA any legacy address space which is handed back to it. I.e. makes no difference - it ends up at IANA anyway. Nick