§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what restrictions exist on where credit card telephone sex lines can be advertised; what agency has responsibility for monitoring such lines; what restrictions exist on the use of credit card facilities to provide explicit sexual services; and what plans he has to introduce regulation similar to premium rate telephone services. [35393]
§ Mr. Ian Taylor[holding answer 18 July 1995]: The advertising of telephone information services paid for by credit card is presently regulated under the indecent Displays (Control) Act 1981 and the Obscene Publications Act 1959, and the content of messages under section 43 of the Telecommunications Act 1984. The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services is currently consulting on its future remit, and this consultation includes discussion with credit card providers and network operators about the use of credit cards in paying for telephone services.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade, on what occasions Oftel has been asked to investigate credit card telephone sex lines. [35394]
§ Mr. Ian Taylor[holding answer 18 July 1995]: Oftel has received a negligible level of complaints about these services. Oftel is not responsible for the regulation of the content of telephone information services billed by credit card.