Telephone Information Lines

HC Deb 27 October 1994 vol 248 cc751-3W

Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many telephone information lines have been established under the auspices of the citizens charter; and how many of these are currently in operation.

Mr. Robert G. Hughes

Many public service organisations have set up and run their own telephone information lines to ensure that their customers can make easy contact with them. The Office of Public Service and Science does not hold central records of all these lines, but is aware of Government helplines in the following sectors:

AGRICULTURE

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Helpline: 0645-335577. Local rates. 0900-1700 weekdays.

CUSTOMS AND EXCISE

Customs and Excise Helpline: 071-202 4227. Standard rates. 0900-1700 weekdays.

EDUCATION

Department for Education Enquiries: 071-925 5555. Standard rates. 0900-1700 weekdays.

EMPLOYMENT

Dial a Job: 071-287 0100. Standard rates. 0900-1700 weekdays.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Information Centre Helpline: 0742-892345. Standard rates. 0900-1700 weekdays. HSE Autofax: 0742-892333. Standard rates. 24 hours a day.

Redundancy Payments Service Customer Service Unit Helpline: 0800-848489. Free. 0900-1700 weekdays.

Work Permits Information Line: 071-273 5337. Standard rates. 0900-1700 weekdays.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Energy Efficiency: 071-276 6200. Standard rates. 0900-1700 weekdays.

Energy Action Grants Agency (grants for improving energy efficiency): 0800-181667. Free. 0830-1730 weekdays.

Building Research Establishment Saving Money on Heating: 0923-664664. Standard rates. 0900-16.30 weekdays.

ENVIRONMENT

National Rivers Authority Emergency Hotline for Environmental Incidents: 0800-807060. Free. 24 hours a day.

Air Quality Information: 0800-556677. Free. 24 hours a day.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Foreign Travel Advice Unit: 071-270 4129. Standard rates. 0930-1600 weekdays.

HEALTH

Health Information Service (Information about health, local NHS services, waiting times, common diseases, conditions and treatments): 0800-665544. Free. 1000-1700 weekdays.

AIDS Helpline: 0800-567123. Free. 24 hours a day.

HOME OFFICE

General Enquiries: 071-273 4599. Standard rates. 24 hours a day.

Nationality and Citizenship Enquiries: 051-236 4723. Standard rates. 0900-1600 weekdays.

Immigration Enquiries: 081-686 0688. Standard rates. 0900-1645 Monday-Thursday. 0900-1630 Friday. 24 hour recorded information for visitors: 081-760 1600. Standard rates.

Students: 081-760 1622. Standard rates.

Work permit holders: 081-760 1644. Standard rates. Au Pairs: 081-760 1666. Standard rates.

Home Office Publications Unit: 071-273 3072/2302. Standard rates. 0915-1700 weekdays.

INLAND REVENUE

Taxback Information Line: 0800-660800. Free. 24 hours a day.

POST OFFICE

Post Office Counters Helpline: 0345-223344. Local rates. 0815-1800 weekdays. 0830-1300 Saturday.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Social Security Freeline:

English: 0800-666555. Free. 0830-1630 weekdays.

Urdu: 0800-289188. Free. 0900-289188. Free. 0900-1600 weekdays.

Chinese: 0800-252451. Free. 0900-1630 weekdays.

Punjabi: 0800-521360. Free. 0830-1630 weekdays.

Welsh: 0800-289011. Free. 0900-1630 weekdays.

Language line: Details available from Benefits Agency local offices.

Family Credit Helpline: 0253-500050. Standard rates. 0730-1830 weekdays.

Benefit Enquiry Line for people with Disabilities: 0800-882200. Free. 0830-1830 weekdays. 0900–1300 Saturday.

Minicom: 0800-243355. Free.

Disability Living Allowance Customer Care Helpline: 0345-123456. Local rates. 0730–1830 weekdays.

Child Support Agency Enquiries: 0345-133133. Local rates. 0830-1800. weekdays.

Social Security Advice Line for Employers: 0800-393539. Free. 0900-1630 Monday-Thursday. 0900-1600 Friday.

War Pension Agency Helpline: 0253-858858. Standard rates. 0815-1715 Monday-Thursday. 0815-1630 Friday. Minicom: 0253-859999. Standard rates.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

General Enquiries: 071-215 5000. Standard rates. 0830-1730 weekdays. Answerphone at other times.

Innovation: 0800-442001. Free. 0830-1730 weekdays. Answerphone at other times.

Business in Europe Hotline: [phone]. Standard rates. 24 hours a day.

DTI Services for Businesses: 0800-500200. Free. 24 hours a day.

TRANSPORT

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency Customer Enquiry Unit (Drivers): 0792-772151. Standard rates.0815-1630 weekdays.

Customer Enquiry Unit (Vehicles): 0792-772134. Standard rates. 0815-1630 weekdays.

Cones Hotline: [phone]. Local rates. 24 hours a day.

London Transport Travel Information: 071-222 1234. Standard rates. 24 hours a day.

The citizens charter unit has itself set up and run a number of telephone information lines:

1. (a) 0800 100101 sent out copies of guides to the Citizen's Charter White Paper. Calls to this line were free. The service ran from 22 July 1991 until 16 March 1994.
2. (b) 0345 300130 provided information about how to obtain copies of the follow-up charters produced by departments and agencies. Calls to this line were charged at a local rate. The service ran from 25 November 1992 until 16 March 1994.
3. (c) Charterline (0345 203040), a telephone information helpline service for local and national public services. was piloted in the East Midlands from 19 May 1993 until 6 May 1994. Calls were charged at a local rate.
4. (d) The Citizen's Charter Publication Line on 0345 223242 was set up on 16 March 1994 to send out copies of the Guide to Citizen's Charter White Papers; details of how to obtain the follow-up charters; the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information; Charter Mark Award Scheme information; Charter News; and Complaints Task Force information. The service is still running; calls are charged at a local rate.