House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 20 Mar 2007 (pt 0005)

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the costs of (a) transferring 0845 codes for HM Revenue Customs and Services to a freephone 0800 service and (b) using a system where the customer is informed of his or her place in the telephone queue system and the likely time their call will be answered; and if he will assess the merits of introducing such changes. [127105]

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC keeps its policy and practice for handling telephone calls from customers through its centrally managed contact centre network under constant review. It remains HMRC current policy to operate customer facing helplines using an 0845 rather than a "freephone" 0800 prefix as the Department believes this strikes the right balance of cost between the customer and the public purse.

HMRC is however also keeping a close watch on proposals being taken forward by Ofcom to introduce a new range of non-geographic "030" numbers.

Order Book Part 1

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Thursday 15 March 2007

350
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many calls to the central 0845 608 8564 Jobcentre Plus number were made in each month for which records are available; what the average time taken to answer customer calls to the number was in each month; and how many calls to the number were terminated before being answered in each month.
(127850)  
351
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the maximum cost per minute is of calling the central 0845 608 8564 Jobcentre Plus number from (a) a land line and (b) a mobile telephone.
(127851)  
352
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which sections of Jobcentre Plus have to use the central 0845 608 8564 Jobcentre Plus number to make enquiries with central benefits teams; and which sections have alternative numbers by which to contact central benefit teams.

A follow up to post #108

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 29 Mar 2007 (pt 0012)

Jobcentre Plus: Telephone Services

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many calls to the central 0845 608 8564 Jobcentre Plus number were made in each month for which records are available; what the average time taken to answer customer calls to the number was in each month; and how many calls to the number were terminated before being answered in each month; [127850]

(2) what the maximum cost per minute is of calling the central 0845 608 8564 Jobcentre Plus number from (a) a land line and (b) a mobile telephone; [127851]

(3) which sections of Jobcentre Plus have to use the central 0845 608 8564 Jobcentre Plus number to make inquiries with central benefits teams; and which sections have alternative numbers by which to contact central benefit teams; [127852]

(4) how telephone and fax numbers for central benefits teams are circulated to (a) Jobcentre Plus offices and (b) Citizen's Advice Bureau offices. [127853]

Mr. Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 29 March 2007:

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking about calls made to the 08456 088564 Jobcentre Plus number of the Department for Work and Pensions; the use of alternative numbers by Jobcentre Plus; and the circulation of telephone and fax numbers to Jobcentre Plus offices and Citizens Advice Bureau offices. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.


The telephone number 08456 088564 relates to Exeter, which we are currently converting into a Benefits Delivery Centre. The current telephony system only gathers limited management information. The information we hold shows an increase in calls answered each month from 6,426 calls in December 2006 to 7,385 in January 2007 and 7,770 in February 2007. However, the current system does not provide data detailing the average time taken to answer calls or how many calls were terminated before being answered.

An average call lasts about 4 minutes—the calls cost (set by BT) between 1-3p per minute (from a landline) depending on the time of day. Call charges from mobile telephones vary depending on the service provider.

All Jobcentre Plus offices in Somerset were given alternative direct dial telephone numbers for central benefit teams. In addition, an e-mail procedure has been established to allow Jobcentre Plus staff to contact the processing teams, to improve communication. This will be in place by Mid April. The telephone and fax numbers were shared with Citizens Advice Bureau offices by means of a leaflet issued in the week prior to the introduction of the 0845 number on 05 December 2006.

I hope this is helpful.

Lords Hansard text for 2 May 200702 May 2007 (pt 0001)

Department for Constitutional Affairs: Telephone Numbers
Lord Tyler asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many non-geographic telephone numbers are in use by the Department for Constitutional Affairs and its agencies; what services can be accessed by calling each of them; and what revenue has been received from them between September 2004 and September 2006. [HL3304]

Lord Evans of Temple Guiting: My department has 12 0500 numbers, seven 0800 numbers; 53 0845 numbers, 43 0870 numbers and one 0900 number, that are in use for the public. In addition there are a further 481 0870 numbers that are used internally on its Goldfax system. The department does not keep a central record of all the services that can be accessed through each of the numbers. That information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The revenue received from the 0900 number, which is used for the bankruptcy and company court search line, between April 2005 (when the line came into operation) and September 2006, was £59,373.43.

The department's central recruitment unit uses 41 0870 numbers for its recruitment campaigns. The revenue received between September 2004-September 2006 was £7,847.74. HM Land Registry operates a number of 0870 numbers for land registry services and the revenue from these was £426,990.15 for the period September 2004 to September 2006.

Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Tuesday 8 May 2007
(the 'Questions Book')

Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many telephone helplines are sponsored by his Department with the prefix (a) 0870 and (b) 0845; and whether alternative geographic numbers are available in each case.

Lords Hansard text for 26 Apr 200726 Apr 2007 (pt 0002)

Lord Tyler asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many non-geographic telephone numbers are in use by the Department for International Development and its agencies; what services can be accessed by calling each of them; and what revenue has been received from them between September 2004 and September 2006. [HL3267]

The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): DfID has one non-geographic telephone number—0845 300 4100—for its public inquiry point. The department received no revenue from this line between September 2004 and September 2006.

Lords Hansard text for 9 May 200709 May 2007 (pt 0005)

Telephone Numbers: Defra
Lord Tyler asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many non-geographic telephone numbers are in use by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and its agencies; what services can be accessed by calling each of them; and what revenue has been received from them between September 2004 and September 2006. [HL3299]

The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): My department and our agencies have a number of non-geographical telephone numbers in use, provided by a variety of service providers, dependent on location. The current count equates to 28 made up of 0870, 0845 and 08459 prefixes, all of which provide helpline services to our customers. The department does not collect any revenue for their use.

Telephone Numbers: DWP
Lord Tyler asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many non-geographic telephone numbers are in use by the Department for Work and Pensions and its agencies; what services can be accessed by calling each of them; and what revenue has been received from them between September 2004 and September 2006. [HL3264]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): Under arrangements with our telephony supplier, the DWP has 2299 non-geographic telephone numbers in use for a variety of purposes.

The department delegates the administration and management of non-geographic telephone numbers to local management at operational level. The information on services linked to individual telephone numbers broken down by departmental units and its agencies is not available.

Obtaining the revenue information for the total period requested would incur disproportionate costs. However, figures for January to September 2006 are available: the revenue received amounted to £321,948, which was offset against DWP telephony costs.