idb wrote on Oct 9^th, 2007 at 11:50pm:

He may have a long wait. None of the four NHS's has a contract with any of the in-patient phone an TV systems companies.

idb wrote on Oct 24^th, 2007 at 1:19am:

It is particularly disappointing to see Parliamentary discussion containing these meaningless terms. Why do MPs not take Ofcom's advice on board?

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 29 Oct 2007 (pt 0038)

Pension Service: Telephone Services

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has any plans to charge customers for telephoning the Pensions Service. [157179]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Currently, the Pension Service can be contacted on a range of numbers with the following call charging arrangements 0845, 0800, 0191 or 0113:

0845 numbers are charged at local call rates and the current guidance by the Committee of Advertising Practice Code applies to the cost of these calls. Current guidance is that calls provided by BT will be charged at up to four pence per minute at all times. A call set up fee of three pence per call applies to calls from residential lines. Mobile and other providers' charges may vary.

0800 99 1234 Pension Credit Application Line is a free phone number and there is no charge for calls to this number from a BT Landline. Mobile and other providers' charges may vary.

0191 218 7777 (International Pension Centre—for Overseas Customers). Calls to this number are charged at the standard rate for the territory from which the customer is calling.

0113 numbers in existence relate to:

MP Helpline

Comments on Customer Charter

Calls made to each of these numbers from within the 0113 area are charged at Local Call Rates; calls made to each of these numbers from outside the area are charged at National Call Rates.

The Pension Service always offers to call customers back if the customer expresses any concerns about the costs being incurred.

All Public Service providers are currently assessing the impact of migrating call numbers to the new ‘03' range. The Pension Service will also review the existing range of telephone numbers and consider simplifying access to our services for our customers. As part of that
review, cost implications and the merits of free-phone numbers over local call rates will be considered.

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 24 Oct 2007 (pt 0012)

Unsolicited Goods and Services: Telephones
Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will make a statement on telephone call charges incurred by UK households who receive unsolicited sales calls from overseas; and what estimate has been made of the cost to UK households as a result of such charges. [160439]

Mr. Timms: The Premium Rate Services regulator, PhonePay Plus (formerly known as The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services, ICSTIS), estimates that the UK Premium Rate Services (PRS) market, is worth over £1 billion a year and comprises of around 40,000 different services. Most services do not cause any problems but the Government take consumer protection very seriously indeed and we are taking steps to prevent abuse of the system. We work with both PhonePay Plus and Ofcom, the independent communications regulator, to ensure a co-ordinated, effective response to problems as they arise.

Under the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003, no one is allowed to make an unsolicited telephone sales call to a subscriber who has either previously notified the caller that they do not wish to receive such calls or who has been registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) scheme for at least 28 days. Companies with a UK presence are legally required not to call a telephone number which has been registered with the TPS scheme, irrespective of whether the call is made from within the UK or from outside the UK. Such companies lay themselves open to enforcement action if they breach this requirement. The Government have made no estimate of costs to those UK subscribers who return unsolicited sales calls.

The Regulations require prior consent of the customer to those companies that make recorded calls to sell or promote their product or business. Also, the Regulations state that all messages must include the identity of the caller and an address or freephone number at which the caller can be contacted. Where a consumer receives an automated call they have not agreed to, there may have been a breach of the Regulations.

The Information Commissioner's Office has responsibility for the enforcement of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. PhonePay Plus is the regulator to investigate cases, which involve PRS calls.

Heinz wrote on Nov 1^st, 2007 at 7:48pm:



Isn't that what all politicians do?

It may be that the campaign against GPs breaching the principle that the NHS is FREE AT THE POINT OF NEED by using revenue sharing 0844 numbers has a parliamentary champion for the new session.

Graham Stuart MP

(Conservative - Beverley & Holderness) has tabled an EDM and four questions for written answer on the subject:


EDM 108 - USE OF 0844 TELEPHONE NUMBERS IN GP SURGERIES

That this House notes that more than 1,200 GP surgeries across the country have installed telephone systems using 0844 numbers; further notes that these systems are more expensive to use than a local call with patients being charged 5 pence per minute from a landline and up to 40 pence per minute from a mobile; further notes that for many people, calling their local GP surgery can be a stressful and worrying time and that high call charges will have a particular impact on the chronically ill, the old, the disabled and those on low incomes; notes that the practice of charging people extra to call their local GP is unsatisfactory; and calls upon the Secretary of State for Health to put an end to it with immediate effect.


THURSDAY 8 NOVEMBER - Questions for Written Answer - Notices given on Tuesday 6 November

537: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to issue guidance to general practitioners on the use of 0844 revenue-sharing telephone numbers; and if he will make a statement. (162416)  

538: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received from patient groups on the use of 0844 revenue-sharing telephone numbers; and if he will make a statement. (162853)  

539: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the implementation of the new GP Surgery Line telephone system. (162854)  

540: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department has issued to primary care trusts on the use of 0844 revenue-sharing telephone numbers; when such guidance was issued; and if he will make a statement. (162855)

Order Book Part 2

Part 2: Oral or Written Questions for Answer beginning on Thursday 15 November 2007

43
N  Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department estimates GP surgeries receive in revenue from calls to 0844 revenue sharing numbers.
(164453)  

44
N  Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many GPs' surgeries in each primary care trust area use 0844 revenue sharing telephone numbers.
(164454)  

45
N  Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, through what mechanism GP surgeries receive payment from calls to 0844 revenue sharing numbers.