GOVERNMENT USE OF 0870 PREMIUM RATE TELEPHONE NUMBERS

Motion Text

That this House notes the recommendation of the Central Office of Information that the use of 0870 premium rate numbers by Government departments is inappropriate, where UK citizens are seeking information to which they are entitled; further notes from answers to Parliamentary Questions tabled by the honourable Member for North Cornwall that these numbers are extensively used by departments; believes that such use should be discontinued immediately, irrespective of whether the profit is made by a private contractor or taken into the departmental budget; and congratulates the BBC Radio four programme, You and Yours, for its campaign on this issue.