§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any government advice exists informing government departments or agencies as to the use of 0870 telephone numbers: and, if so, what that advice is. [HL433]
176WA
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)The Central Office of Information issues advice to government departments about the use of 0870 numbers. It recommends against their use, owing to the rising cost of dialling a 0870 number compared with dialling a geographic number.
§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 11 January (WA 55), how many 0870 telephone numbers were being operated by the Department of Trade and Industry, or by contractors on its behalf, on 10 January. [HL1189]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleNo list is held centrally within the department of the use of 0870 numbers but the Department of Trade and Industry, or its contractors, operated at least six 0870 telephone numbers on the 10 January. Three were operated for the DTI Publications Orderline, one for the Benchmark Index Helpline, one for the UK Information Society Technology Helpline and additionally one for the FP6UK information point.