Asked by: Helen Jones (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make it his policy to prevent companies using local numbers from which calls are forwarded abroad for the purposes of marketing and other nuisance calls.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Based on an analysis of reported concerns, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has previously estimated that approximately 12% of nuisance calls carry 'spoofed' Calling Line Identification (CLI), but this does not mean that all the calls have originated from overseas. The Government has recently consulted on making it a requirement for direct marketing callers to provide valid CLI. The Government plans to bring this measure into force in due course.
Asked by: Helen Jones (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the proportion of nuisance calls which appear to be from local numbers but which are being forwarded elsewhere; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Based on an analysis of reported concerns, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has previously estimated that approximately 12% of nuisance calls carry 'spoofed' Calling Line Identification (CLI), but this does not mean that all the calls have originated from overseas. The Government has recently consulted on making it a requirement for direct marketing callers to provide valid CLI. The Government plans to bring this measure into force in due course.
Asked by: Helen Jones (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to increase the availability of superfast broadband in (a) Warrington North constituency, (b) Culcheth and (c) Burtonwood.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Warrington, Culcheth and Burtonwood are covered by the Connecting Cheshire project. Over 62,000 homes and businesses in Cheshire have been upgraded to superfast broadband as a result of the project and we expect coverage to reach over 95 per cent in Cheshire by the end of 2017. It is estimated that the Warrington North constituency will have 98 per cent of premises able to connect to superfast by the end of the programme. Data is not collected below this scale.
Asked by: Helen Jones (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to safeguard consumers who wish to keep their current telephone number when switching providers; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Consumers can retain their telephone numbers when switching provider through an established process called number porting. Ofcom imposes obligations, through its General Conditions, on all landline and mobile providers to safeguard the interests of consumers wishing to port their numbers.
When switching mobile provider, the consumer requests a porting authorisation code (PAC) from the existing provider and gives it to the new provider, allowing the mobile number to be transferred to the new network. Although the losing provider may charge the consumer, there are safeguards: a provider cannot refuse to issue a PAC unless specific circumstances apply (for example, if the consumer cannot adequately prove that he/she is the legitimate account holder). Ofcom requires PACs to be issued immediately over the phone or within two hours by text message. Consumers are entitled to compensation if a number is not ported within one working day from the new provider receiving the PAC. Ofcom can take action against companies that repeatedly breach these rules and has the power to fine providers up to 10% of annual turnover
For consumers switching landline providers, the losing provider must allow an active telephone number to be transferred to a new provider, assuming the consumer is staying at the same address. Although gaining providers are not required by Ofcom to accept a request to transfer, it is plainly in their interests to do so and, in most cases, they do accept such requests; if it does accept the request, the gaining provider should make all transfer arrangements. Where consumers move address but remain within the same telephone exchange, providers may allow consumers to retain their telephone numbers but that process is not regulated by Ofcom. If he/she moves outside the local exchange, a consumer will not usually be able to keep the same number on a traditional landline; it is possible, however, to do so by porting the number to a VoIP service for a one-off fee.
Asked by: Helen Jones (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent estimate he has made of the amount of arts funding per head spent in (a) London and (b) the North-West; and what discussions he has had with arts organisations on ensuring balance in spending between those regions.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The amount of funding per head from Arts Council England for 2013/14 was £28.17 for London and £10.11 per head in the North West. The figure for London includes the London-based national arts organisations. ACE are working with organisations within the North West area to increase the number of applications for funding in the future.
Asked by: Helen Jones (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which arts organisations and events in the North West he has visited since his appointment.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has visited the following organisations and attended following events in the North West since his appointment:
• Mellor Mill, Stockport
• Lady Lever Art Gallery, the Wirral
• Tate Liverpool
• Merseyside Maritime Museum
• International Festival of Business, Liverpool
Asked by: Helen Jones (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people in Warrington North constituency are currently in receipt of a free television licence.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The data recording how many individuals are currently in receipt of a free television licence is not broken down by individual constituencies or regions.