Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to paragraph 2.289 of Budget 2015, how much of the £3.5 million announced to trial the development and provision of call blocking technology and tackle nuisance calls has been spent or allocated to date.

Of the £3.5m package announced by the Chancellor in the March 2015 Budget:

£2.m has been allocated to the nuisance calls competition for innovative solutions to tackle nuisance calls.

£0.5m has been allocated to the National Trading Standards Scams Team to provide call blocking devices to vulnerable people nationwide and report its effects.

£1m has been allocated for other activities to tackle nuisance calls.