Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will take steps to expand Ofcom's definition of emergency organisation to include the national power cut and electricity network safety service.

The three digit number “105” is already provided free-of-charge by the UK's six Distribution Network Operators (DNOs), so it is easy for customers to report a power outage or an electricity network safety issue.

To modify “105” to have the same qualities as an emergency number (including call prioritisation and roaming) yet not directed to the emergency service answer points would also be technologically difficult as it would require changes to underlying networks and handset functionality to enable them to distinguish the additional type of call (emergency, non-emergency, power cut), which would require international standards agreement.

Any steps to reclassify “105” as an emergency service would need to be driven by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and require thorough consultation with the telecommunications sector, Ofcom, Ofgem, and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.