USE OF 0870 TELEPHONE NUMBERS BY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS

Motion Text

That this House notes the proliferation of 0870 prefix telephone numbers used by a range of Government Departments for members of the public to get in touch; recognises the fact that they can cost up to two and a half times more than regional numbers, and that in some cases departments make substantial profits from such numbers; further notes that last year the Government's Central Office of Information urged Departments not to use 0870 numbers as the cost could act as a barrier to communicating information that the citizen should have access to as a right; and calls upon the Government to take action to end this indefensible practice.