Category: Parliament - the fair telecoms campaign

GPs approach 5th year of breach of contract

10/2/2014

It is our strong view that the firm stand taken by NHS England on the question of delayed compliance with the contractual terms covering use of 084 telephone numbers should prevent practices drifting into a fifth year of non-compliance with requirements that came into effect on 1 April 2010.

The necessary change of telephone number takes only a few weeks to arrange, however a total of 1 year's grace was granted, so that practices could perhaps make more extensive changes to their arrangements.

This news release includes a link to a listing of the 440 surgeries still showing 084 numbers on NHS Choices, with totals by Area.

It also identifies four targets in a call for action.

gps140130nr.pdf
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Debate on Nuisance Calls - Commons Main Chamber

27/1/2014

Today, Thursday 16 January, a debate on the subject of “Nuisance Calls” is scheduled for the main commons chamber. It is the second item of backbench business to be fitted into a slot between roughly 11:30 and 17:00, and so is likely to begin at some time between 14:00 and 15:00.
The debate will be opened by Mike Crockart MP, who is likely to repeat his familiar call for revisions to the terms of the existing failed regulations, as proposed by Which?

Click to view briefing

The fair telecoms campaign has provided a briefing to all MPs likely to contribute to the debate, and also to the Minister who will reply.

Whilst supporting the obvious need to tidy up anomalies in the existing regulations, we suggest that much more radical action is required for there to be any significant change to the situation.

The debate may be viewed (live or on replay) on BBC Parliament, or at any time using this link to Parliament TV.
The proceedings will be published in Hansard on Friday morning.

View debate on Parliament TV

Reaction to Culture Media and Sport Committee report - “Nuisance Calls”

13/12/2013

Our reaction to the Culture Media and Sport Committee report - “Nuisance Calls” is published here, to accompany publication of the report itself today.

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In summary, we are pleased to see many of our comments, as presented in evidence, noted in the report. We welcome the limited recommendations, but are concerned that they do not include the radical steps required to get to grips with this unacceptable and growing problem.

The Inquiry and the Report

Comments from the fair telecoms campaign are referred to in the body of the report.
The written evidence submitted by the fair telecoms campaign (3 documents) is reproduced in the body of the report at pages Ev 43 to Ev 49.

A transcript of the oral evidence presented is found at page Ev 1

Presentation of the oral evidence may be seen on parliamentlive.tv

click to view

Talk Talk blocking Nuisance Calls

23/11/2013

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Dido Harding, CEO of Talk Talk, has contributed a guest posting to Which? Conversation - TalkTalk: why we launched a nuisance calls blocking service.

We are concerned about a number of points made in the piece and a related issue.

These are covered by an open message, sent to Ms Harding, with copies to many other parties involved in this issue.

Telephone Tax - Dialight Robbery - to end in 12 months

15/11/2013

The rather sober 27th report of the Public Accounts Committee on "charges for customer telephone lines" is both welcomed and strongly characterised by a front page Sun headline.

Our own contributions to media coverage have to follow the formal announcement, at 00:01 on 11 November 2013, e.g.. Many entries will appear on the news feed in due course.

In the meantime, we can draw attention to the following:

The formal news release from the Committee
The complete report
The published version of our evidence (also seen here)
The Ofcom evidence - providing a useful summary of its intentions for "Simplifying Non-Geographic Numbers".

Interview on Sky News

11/11/2013

David Hickson was interviewed on Sky News to cover the Public Accounts Committee report into Government use of expensive telephone numbers.
Supporters and others are invited to refer to what was said, in context.

← Play here or download →

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Click on the TV image
to view this video clip
FOR REFERENCE ONLY

Evidence to the Culture Media and Sport Committee Nuisance Calls inquiry

23/8/2013

Last month we reported Two Inquiries into Nuisance Calls.

The fair telecoms campaign has presented initial written evidence to the inquiry by the Culture Media and Sport Committee of parliament into Nuisance Telephone Calls and Texts. (see below)

We have also been invited to submit oral evidence to the Committee. This will take place in a session at 10:30 on Tuesday 3 September 2013. The proceedings will be shown live on the web, at http://www.parliamentlive.tv, and will be available to watch later there and on BBC Parliament.

All evidence, written and oral, will be published by the committee itself - see the inquiry webpage.

culture_media_and_sport_inquiry_into_nuisance_telephone_calls_and_text_messages.pdf
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TWO inquiries into Nuisance Calls

14/7/2013

click to read

On Thursday (11 July) we commented on the amount of NOISE being made about Nuisance Calls.

click to read announcement

On Friday (12 July) the Culture Media and Sport (Select) Committee announced an inquiry into Nuisance Calls.

click to read article

On Sunday (14 July) the Sunday Post confirmed that the All Party Parliamentary Group on Nuisance Calls would also be conducting an inquiry into the matter.
(Note our comment at the foot of the piece.)

We have issued a release outlining our probable contributions to these inquiries.

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Parliament debates the ‘Telephone Tax’

30/6/2013

Following our announcement of the debate and the issuing of a briefing in this blog posting, the debate took place and the proceedings are recorded here.

We have published comments and clarifications on the points made by the various contributors to the debate.

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We have also issued a news release, anticipating the NAO report, which is expected to be published very shortly.

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Parliament to debate the ‘Telephone Tax’

24/6/2013

At 11 am on Wednesday 26 June, RIchard Burden MP will introduce a debate entitled “Cost of non-geographic telephone numbers used by Government” in the Westminster Hall chamber.

We have prepared and circulated a briefing paper for members attending the debate, and others

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