CJT-80 wrote on Dec 7
th, 2013 at 4:38pm:
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Was there ever any communication from the Fair Telecoms Campaign on this? I see the last entry here was over a year ago...
A fair point - I should have added a further comment some time ago.
As a point of principle, I do not provide public blow-by-blow commentary on engagement with organisations. I probably broke my own rule by commenting that we were seeking to make contact with the Environment Agency.
Contact was made, and the points were established in the context of imminent (at the time) announcements by Ofcom. When the Ofcom process fell into delay, attention for the public sector had shifted to work in general on the "telephone tax" - including the NAO inquiry, adjournment debate, PAC evidence session, work by the Cabinet Office and the PAC report. We are now awaiting the report of the Cabinet Office group, which we understand will include guidance / directions to Central Government departments and may also be addressed directly to all public bodies. The Environment Agency will be covered, either directly or through its relationship with DEFRA.
Whilst there is a formal status for the Fair Telecoms Campaign, the primary purpose of its limited resources is to support the efforts of all those who share its objectives and have the time and talents to see them realised. We reacted last year when the 0845 number was all over our television screens and in other media, hoping to capitalise on the poor impression that this created. Sadly there was not sufficient pressure around at that time, nor since, to prompt the necessary action. Whilst we wait for the Cabinet Office, we will be delighted to offer all support and assistance to anyone able to apply more pressure to the EA at this time, when again the number is receiving a lot of public attention.