My Lords, this order provides for the disclosure of information between the telecommunications regulator Ofcom and four other public bodies allowing those bodies to carry out their regulatory duties more effectively, providing greater protection for consumers. The four bodies in question are the Information Commissioner, the Insolvency Service, the Financial...

My Lords, this order provides for the disclosure of information between the telecommunications regulator Ofcom and four other public bodies allowing those bodies to carry out their regulatory duties more effectively, providing greater protection for consumers. The four bodies in question are the Information Commissioner, the Insolvency Service, the Financial...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his explanation of the intent behind the order. I make it clear from the outset that

we support these changes. Although the authors of the 2003 Act were quite rightly cautious about encouraging the exchange of too much personal information between government agencies,...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his explanation of the intent behind the order. I make it clear from the outset that

we support these changes. Although the authors of the 2003 Act were quite rightly cautious about encouraging the exchange of too much personal information between government agencies,...

My Lords, the order impacts positively on Ofcom’s ability to disclose information to the four bodies that I outlined and I am extremely grateful to the noble Baroness for the support that she has given to it. We are at one on the fact that we need to tackle this...

My Lords, the order impacts positively on Ofcom’s ability to disclose information to the four bodies that I outlined and I am extremely grateful to the noble Baroness for the support that she has given to it. We are at one on the fact that we need to tackle this...

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered nuisance calls.

I thank the Backbench Business Committee for granting time for this important debate. Many Members who would like to have been here for this debate are unable to be with us for various reasons, including constituency commitments, debates in Westminster Hall...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered nuisance calls.

I thank the Backbench Business Committee for granting time for this important debate. Many Members who would like to have been here for this debate are unable to be with us for various reasons, including constituency commitments, debates in Westminster Hall...

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman wholeheartedly on securing this debate and on the campaign that has been running. Does he accept that the fundamental problem that our constituents complain to us about is that there are frequently multiple calls and that calls are often made at night time? I have...

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman wholeheartedly on securing this debate and on the campaign that has been running. Does he accept that the fundamental problem that our constituents complain to us about is that there are frequently multiple calls and that calls are often made at night time? I have...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention. My right hon. Friend the Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Sir Alan Beith), who is unable to be here, outlined a very worrying set of circumstances to me, which may well have affected the hon. Gentleman’s constituents. In the last week, a large number...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention. My right hon. Friend the Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Sir Alan Beith), who is unable to be here, outlined a very worrying set of circumstances to me, which may well have affected the hon. Gentleman’s constituents. In the last week, a large number...

I endorse the hon. Gentleman’s comments about the missing three-year-old boy from his constituency, on the border of mine in Edinburgh. Like him, I hope that he is soon found safe and brought back to his home.

Is not one problem nuisance calls that purport to come from outside the UK,...

I endorse the hon. Gentleman’s comments about the missing three-year-old boy from his constituency, on the border of mine in Edinburgh. Like him, I hope that he is soon found safe and brought back to his home.

Is not one problem nuisance calls that purport to come from outside the UK,...

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right, and there are two issues raised. Of course, the vast majority of calls coming from outside the UK are made on behalf of companies operating within the UK, so they should be covered by the regulators. The difficulty is that there are all sorts...

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right, and there are two issues raised. Of course, the vast majority of calls coming from outside the UK are made on behalf of companies operating within the UK, so they should be covered by the regulators. The difficulty is that there are all sorts...

The hon. Gentleman may recall that when BT gave evidence to the all-party group, it said that its complaints and nuisance calls line received some 65,000 calls a month—from memory, I think that was the figure. If so many calls are coming in but so few are going to the...

The hon. Gentleman may recall that when BT gave evidence to the all-party group, it said that its complaints and nuisance calls line received some 65,000 calls a month—from memory, I think that was the figure. If so many calls are coming in but so few are going to the...

The hon. Gentleman makes a good point, although I am not sure whether it is just a lack of confidence. Part of it may well be a lack of knowledge and a lack of willingness to commit time to go through the process of making a complaint. However, I was...

The hon. Gentleman makes a good point, although I am not sure whether it is just a lack of confidence. Part of it may well be a lack of knowledge and a lack of willingness to commit time to go through the process of making a complaint. However, I was...

On that point about the fear factor, the result is that the telephone is taken out of the use of people who would otherwise regard it as a normal service in their home. It is manifestly clear on any interpretation that such texts and calls are increasing, and that the...

On that point about the fear factor, the result is that the telephone is taken out of the use of people who would otherwise regard it as a normal service in their home. It is manifestly clear on any interpretation that such texts and calls are increasing, and that the...

Absolutely. That is a good point, and that fear is concentrated among certain groups, such as the elderly, who are at home during the day more, and those who, as StepChange found, are hounded by companies encouraging them to take out payday loans and so on. Just over 26.3 million...

Absolutely. That is a good point, and that fear is concentrated among certain groups, such as the elderly, who are at home during the day more, and those who, as StepChange found, are hounded by companies encouraging them to take out payday loans and so on. Just over 26.3 million...

The hon. Gentleman is dealing eloquently with the economics of the process. Does he accept the proposition that the likelihood of our constituents taking calls between 9 o’clock at night and 6 o’clock in the morning is very limited? Does he agree that the Government could regulate against night-time calls,...

The hon. Gentleman is dealing eloquently with the economics of the process. Does he accept the proposition that the likelihood of our constituents taking calls between 9 o’clock at night and 6 o’clock in the morning is very limited? Does he agree that the Government could regulate against night-time calls,...

I agree entirely with the hon. Gentleman. I will go on to deal with the Information Commissioner’s Office guidance that covers exactly that problem.

The inquiry heard evidence that the low cost of making those calls means that there is no economic driver to undertake any initial targeting or research. Calls...

I agree entirely with the hon. Gentleman. I will go on to deal with the Information Commissioner’s Office guidance that covers exactly that problem.

The inquiry heard evidence that the low cost of making those calls means that there is no economic driver to undertake any initial targeting or research. Calls...

Does my hon. Friend agree that, if every company is well behaved, we would not need a regulatory system at all? The point of the regulator is to deal with those who are unscrupulous or careless.

Does my hon. Friend agree that, if every company is well behaved, we would not need a regulatory system at all? The point of the regulator is to deal with those who are unscrupulous or careless.

I agree entirely, and I am glad my hon. Friend used the word “careless”, because carelessness and the ease of making calls without having to think too closely about the regulations cause much of the problem.

The regulations are in place and the guidance is excellent. A document issued by the...

I agree entirely, and I am glad my hon. Friend used the word “careless”, because carelessness and the ease of making calls without having to think too closely about the regulations cause much of the problem.

The regulations are in place and the guidance is excellent. A document issued by the...

I thank you for your guidance, Madam Deputy Speaker. I am heading towards to my last few points, I promise.

The reason for slipping in that recommendation is that when we took evidence from payday lenders I had put them on the spot and asked them whether they

engaged in this sort...

I thank you for your guidance, Madam Deputy Speaker. I am heading towards to my last few points, I promise.

The reason for slipping in that recommendation is that when we took evidence from payday lenders I had put them on the spot and asked them whether they

engaged in this sort...

Does my hon. Friend agree that if the telephone companies are receiving the revenue from 1 billion nuisance calls a year, there is little incentive for them to throttle that profitable supply of calls?

Does my hon. Friend agree that if the telephone companies are receiving the revenue from 1 billion nuisance calls a year, there is little incentive for them to throttle that profitable supply of calls?