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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he is taking to steps to increase the powers that Ofcom and the Phone-paid Services Authority have to prevent intermediaries charging people to use freephone Government services; and if he will make a statement.

Ofcom has a power under the Communications Act 2003 to regulate premium rate services, those higher rate services charged to telephone bills, which it has delegated to the Phone-paid Services Authority (PSA).

Providers of intermediary connection services, known as information, connection and signposting services (ICSS) are subject to PSA’s strict mandatory Code of Practice if they operate under certain number and price ranges. Ofcom recently consulted on proposals to broaden the scope of the rules so that they would apply to all such services, meaning that all ICSS would be subject to the PSA’s remit. Ofcom aims to publish its decision before the end of 2018.