Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, under what timetable her Department plans to phase-out use of telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, 0844 and 0843 in accordance with the Cabinet Office guidance on customer service lines published in December 2013 and (b) 03 and 08, where 03 is the primary number under a dual numbering system.

Core Defra operates three telephone lines under a dual numbering system with the prefix 0345 as the primary number. In accordance with Cabinet Office guidance, the 0845 prefix numbers have been retained for these lines to allow callers a choice based on their call package arrangements. There are no plans to phase out either the 0845 or 0345 prefixed numbers.