§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he proposes to introduce legislation to control the chat-line telephone services and the advertising of such services;
(2) whether he proposes to take action to ban the advertising of chat-line telephone services in magazines and newspapers targeting young people.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe Director General of Telecommunications has already proposed some controls on these services, and these proposals are being considered by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, which will report its conclusions shortly. The advertising of chat-line services is subject to the British code of advertising practice administered by the Advertising Standards Authority. The independent committee for the supervision of standards of telephone information services also takes a particular interest in advertisements of such services and considers complaints.