§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research his Department has undertaken to ascertain the impact upon business of changes proposed to the system of freephone numbers by OFTEL. [63521]
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Company Name Project Name Date of Announcement Hosokawa Stott Manufacture of Equipment 1 January 1997 Tetra Pak HDPE Milk Bottles 1 May 1997 Associated Capital Corporation Credit Card Operations Centre 22 May 1997 Brewster Wallcoverings Distribution & Warehousing of Paint 1 June 1997 Teco Information Systems Sales, Distribution Configuration Co. 30 June 1997 Telewest Communications Sales TV 1 August 1997 Viking Direct Call Centre, Office Equipment, Stationery 5 August 1997 DFDS Transport Shipping Agents 8 August 1997 Aspentech Developer of Computer Software 31 August 1997 Centurion Furniture Plc. Upholstered Furniture 1 September 1997 Kodak Manufacture of Imaging Products 22 September 1997 Yardley Plastics Ltd. Thermoplastic Compounds Processing 23 September 1997 Hosokawa Micron Ltd. Powder Processing Equipment 29 September 1997 Voith Sulzer Paper Technology Calendars/Rolls for Paper 13 October 1997 AB Thoreb Software Programmes/IT Systems 1 November 1997 Dunlop Hevea (Ind. Footwear) Ltd. Manufacture of Industrial Footwear 12 November 1997 ELF Aquitaine (UK) Ltd. Pharmaceutical Intermediates 19 November 1997 Francis Shaw and Co Ltd. Rubber Mixing Machinery 1 December 1997 Woodbridge Foam (UK) Ltd. Car Seat Foam 15 December 1997
§ Mrs. Roche[holding answer 14 December 1998]: The administration of the National Numbering Scheme is a matter for Oftel. Oftel has consulted extensively on changes to numbering arrangements. The National Numbering Scheme was established following public consultation. Oftel' s proposals to change freephone numbers, in line with the Scheme, were the subject of a separate consultation earlier this year and conclusions have yet to be reached.
Demand for freephone numbers increased by over 50 per cent. in 1998, compared to 1997. Oftel believes that a change to freephone numbers is necessary as it will shortly run out of 0800 blocks of numbers.