§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are being taken by(a) his Department and (b) Oftel to prevent telecommunications fraud, with particular reference to the use of high cost line and call charges. [102837]
§ Ms Hewitt[holding answer 16 December 1999]: The regulation of the telecommunications industry is a matter for the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel). Oftel takes telecoms operators' network integrity very seriously. Oftel will always investigate any case of alleged telephone fraud.
The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) regulates high cost telephone lines through its Code of Practice, with which Premium Rate Service Providers have to comply. The Code has a number of provisions relating to both the advertising for and the content of services, which are designed to counter fraudulent provision and use of such services.