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Written question asked by Lord McCabe (Labour) on Thursday, 27 February 2020, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 3 March 2020 (named day). It was answered by John Whittingdale (Conservative) on Tuesday, 3 March 2020 on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Nuisance Calls

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to prevent nuisance telephone callers making unwanted calls after a telephone number is registered with the Telephone Preference Service.

Answer

The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) impose strict obligations on organisations that make direct marketing calls to individuals in the UK. Organisations must not call a number that has been registered on the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) list. For calls relating to pensions and personal injury claims, calls must not be made at all unless the consumer has provided his or her consent.

The Information Commissioner is responsible for enforcing PECR and publishes details of the actions it has taken for breaches of the legislation on its website:

https://ico.org.uk/action-weve-taken/nuisance-calls-and-messages/

We are committed to reducing the level of nuisance calls and continue to work with industry and regulators to identify further steps to tackle the problem. For example, we have been working with National Trading Standards to supply call blocking devices to some of the most vulnerable in society.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
21879
Session
2019-21
Subjects
Telephone Preference Service Nuisance calls
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk