Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of (a) the Telephone Preference Service and (b) the powers of the Information Commissioner's Office to make directors liable for the fines imposed on their companies, in the context of helping to tackle nuisance calls.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) continues to provide an important free service for people and businesses who wish to opt out of receiving unsolicited live sales and marketing calls. Anyone who wishes to add their landline or mobile number to the TPS database can do so by visiting tpsonline.org.uk. Once a number has been registered, direct marketing organisations are legally required under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) to refrain from calling it.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) enforces the law and has powers to fine persons that break it. In 2021/22, the ICO issued over £2.8 million in fines issued to companies responsible for nuisance calls, texts and emails.
The ICO are currently considering responses to their consultation on new regulatory guidance on the use of their enforcement powers under PECR. This includes consideration of the circumstances where it would be appropriate to fine organisations or individual directors; and the factors the ICO would take into account when setting the level of a monetary penalty. The draft guidance can be viewed on the ICO’s website.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Ofcom in improving customer service standards in the mobile and broadband sector.
Answered by Matt Warman
Ofcom has industry rules in place which are designed to protect consumers - specifically around complaints processes and customer access to alternative dispute resolution procedures. In June 2019, major broadband and mobile providers signed up to Ofcom’s voluntary Fairness Commitments which sought to encourage signatory providers to embed fairness across their businesses. In May 2021, Ofcom reviewed progress against the Fairness Commitments and identified customer service levels as an area of concern, as such this is likely to be a focus for future work on the Commitments.
In May 2022, Ofcom published its customer service tracking report for mobile, broadband and landline, which is based on customers’ experiences in 2021, amid the continued impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Ofcom found that overall customer satisfaction levels were high - with 91% of mobile customers and 83% of broadband customers satisfied with their service overall. However, service levels did not return to 2019 levels across the industry. Ofcom will continue to engage with providers and challenge them to prioritise service improvements to beyond pre-pandemic levels.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the level of public awareness of social tariffs.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
There are a range of social tariff products currently available to over 5 million households in receipt of Universal Credit support, and other means tested benefits. These offers are available to eligible households in over 99% of the country.
In July 2021, Ofcom reported take-up of social tariffs to be between approximately 1-2% of eligible households, so we are aware that more can be done to increase consumer awareness and encourage take-up of these offers.
We welcome increased promotion and consumer signposting of the social tariff products by providers such as BT, Virgin Media O2 and Hyperoptic.
DCMS is also working closely with colleagues across the government, including the Department for Work & Pensions and the Department for Education, to raise consumer awareness of social tariffs through local stakeholder channels to ensure that the individuals who may be eligible for social tariffs are made aware of the support available to them.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the willingness of mobile and broadband providers to minimise the impact of recent cost increases on consumers.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We appreciate that price rises are never welcome, and we understand the recent increases announced by some operators may be particularly unwelcome given the wider pressures on the cost of living.
We are engaging with mobile and broadband providers to explore ways that they can provide support to households who may be facing challenges paying their bills.
The recent price increases announced by some providers are contained within the terms and conditions that consumers agreed to when taking out their service. We encourage customers to first check whether they are in contract or whether they might be able to leave without penalty. Figures released by Ofcom in November 2021, show that 35% of consumers in 2020 were out of contract, and the average out of contract broadband customer could save more than £61 a year by switching.
Consumers who are bound by their contract may benefit from speaking with their provider and discussing the options that may be available to support them.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the impact on consumers of recent and planned above inflation prices rises in mobile and broadband contracts.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We appreciate that price rises are never welcome, and we understand the recent increases announced by some operators may be particularly unwelcome given the wider pressures on the cost of living.
We are engaging with mobile and broadband providers to explore ways that they can provide support to households who may be facing challenges paying their bills.
The recent price increases announced by some providers are contained within the terms and conditions that consumers agreed to when taking out their service. We encourage customers to first check whether they are in contract or whether they might be able to leave without penalty. Figures released by Ofcom in November 2021, show that 35% of consumers in 2020 were out of contract, and the average out of contract broadband customer could save more than £61 a year by switching.
Consumers who are bound by their contract may benefit from speaking with their provider and discussing the options that may be available to support them.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the impact of the communications sectors’ work with low-income families in (a) the UK and (b) Leicestershire to ensure the affordability of broadband for low-income families.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department continues to work alongside Ofcom to monitor the affordability of telecoms services.
Fixed-broadband social tariff products are currently available to over 5 million low-income households in receipt of Universal Credit support and other means-tested benefits, such as Pension Credit, Income Support and Job-Seekers Allowance. These tariffs are available in 99% of the UK. We encourage anyone with financial concerns to speak with their provider about the support that may be available to them.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support (a) high streets and (b) local businesses in their celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Her Majesty's Government is delighted to be supporting the celebrations to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and there are many ways that we are helping high streets and local businesses to join in and benefit from this national moment.
The Government has written to Local Authorities in England, highlighting the many opportunities for their communities to get involved in the celebrations. The Home Office are currently consulting on extending the licensing hours over the bank holiday weekend. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) set out a cross-Whitehall vision through the High Streets Strategy and government’s commitment to support celebrations and involvement of communities.
Those local authorities who have signed up to take part in the Government’s Welcome Back Fund may choose to use their allocation to undertake preparations for the Platinum Jubilee, before the Fund ends on 31 March 2022.
The Platinum Jubilee Emblem is available, free of charge, to all communities and businesses.
The Government’s dedicated Platinum Jubilee website contains information on sources of funding, including £22m of Lottery funding. The website also contains an online map onto which event organisers can add their events and Jubilee celebrations.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with OFCOM on the (a) affordability of current broadband contract prices and (b) the ease of switching between broadband providers.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DCMS continues to work alongside Ofcom to encourage Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to go further to support low-income families.
Following our discussions with the telecoms sector, affordable social tariffs are now available from BT, Virgin Media, Hyperoptic, Community Fibre and KCOM for £15 per month to those on Universal Credit as well as other means-tested benefits. These ISPs operate in 99% of the UK. We continue to have on-going discussions with Ofcom who have a statutory duty to monitor affordability in the telecommunications sector. We also continue to encourage all operators to introduce affordable tariffs.
DCMS also continues to work with Ofcom on the issue of switching. Ofcom introduced new rules in September 2021 which are designed to make broadband switching easier. Under these rules, consumers only need to contact their new ISP, who will lead the switching process, regardless of the underlying network provider or connection type. These rules will go into effect in April 2023.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress she has been made in requiring gigabit capable broadband for new build homes in time for Spring 2022.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Following the consultation response which set out our policy proposals last year, we have worked with industry stakeholders and other government departments to develop legislative proposals that will ensure that new homes are future-proofed with gigabit-ready infrastructure and built with gigabit-capable connections.
We will shortly be publishing a statutory technical consultation on our legislative proposals and seek to lay the implementing regulations in Parliament as soon as possible.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress her Department has made on responding to the consultation on further legislative changes to the Electronic Communications Code.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Since the consultation on the Electronic Communications Code closed on 24 March 2021, officials have been analysing the responses received. The government’s response will be published once this process is completed.