§ Mr. ChurchillTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to deal with the problem of premium-rate telephone services aimed at children.
§ Mr. Redwood[holding answer 23 July 1991]: The regulation of premium-rate telephone services is primarily a matter for the Director General of Telecommunications, Sir Bryan Carsberg. He has taken strong action to control these services and has indicated that he will continue to keep their operation under review.
These services are subject to codes of practice, administered by the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services, which contain specific provisions designed to protect young people. These have recently been further tightened and include provisions to restrict the content of communications aimed at children and young people, provisions concerning promotional material aimed at or intended to be readily accessible to them, and requirements that such material, and the communications themselves, must include warnings about the high cost of premium-rate services.
§ Mr. ChurchillTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to give wider publicity for the facility available to bar telephones from dialling premium-rate services.
§ Mr. Redwood[holding answer 23 July 1991]: This is essentially a matter for BT, which is responsible for making the facility available. The Director General of Telecommunications, Sir Bryan Carsberg, who has responsibility for the regulation of premium-rate services, welcomed the introduction of the facility in a press release on 28 January. He is encouraging BT to take action to make the public aware that call-barring is available free of charge to those of its customers connected to digital local exchanges.