§ Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will introduce legislation to regulate the activities of companies offering cash and other prizes which can be claimed only by expensive phone calls of several minutes' duration; and if she will make a statement. [74464]
§ Mr. TimmsThe activities of such companies are already regulated, by the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS), and must abide by the Code of Practice drawn up and enforced by ICSTIS. If companies breach this Code, for example by unreasonably prolonging their services, they can be fined or even banned from providing services altogether.