Wrote to my MP about DVLA 0870, he wrote to the Department of Transport, here is their reply reproduced verbatim with personal information redacted.

Thank you for your letter on behalf of your constituent regarding DVLA's use of 0870 numbers. I am replying as I have Ministerial responsibility.

In March 2005, the Central Office of Information (COI) published a paper entitled Contact Centre Guidelines. General advice within this document was that 0870 were not recommended but the advice was not prescriptive. If 0870 numbers were being used, COI suggested that other alternatives, i.e. a standard geographical number was offered in parallel and the web or postal mechanisms were available to give the customer a choice. In view of these factors, DVLA considered that its telephone customer interface was in accordance with the COI guidelines.

However, OFCOM also published a report on the use of 0870 numbers and DVLA also took into account this guidance along with the subsequent guidance given in the Varney report in December 2006.

DVLA planned to move to the 0300 number range, away from the 0870 number ranges by February 2008. However, this change has now been placed in abeyance due to the withdrawal of the original OFCOM paper and recommendations. DVLA awaits the republication is spring 2008, however, their background planning continues to ensure that they can meet any deadlines. I am sure your constituent will appreciate that DVLA cannot adopt any new number ranges until the new OFCOM paper is re-published.

Yours sincerely

JIM FITZPATRICK

That boils down to, "We've realised we can continue making money from the public via 0870 numbers for the foreseeable future now that Ofcom has (disgracefully) withdrawn the plan to abolish revenue-sharing on those numbers on 1-2-08 - and we're going to carry on doing so for as long as we can get away with it."

Just check out the recent answers to parliamentary questions to see how many government departments - already totally funded by OUR taxes - use 084/7 numbers!

Rip-off Britain.

tjfs wrote on Jan 31^st, 2008 at 10:42am:

DVLA planned to move to the 0300 number range, away from the 0870 number ranges by February 2008. However, this change has now been placed in abeyance due to the withdrawal of the original OFCOM paper and recommendations. DVLA awaits the republication is spring 2008, however, their background planning continues to ensure that they can meet any deadlines. I am sure your constituent will appreciate that DVLA cannot adopt any new number ranges until the new OFCOM paper is re-published.

That is truelly shocking as I thought that DVLA was switching to 03.

Really it is happy to generate millions per anum using 0870 numbers and now that Ofcom has now done a U-turn, DVLA is happy to keep its premium numbers.