Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complaints have been received on the charge for using the 101 non-emergency police number in the last three years.

The Department has received 49 complaints about the charge for using the 101 police non-emergency number in the last three years.

Research by Ofcom shows that a small fixed charge does not deter people from calling the service and reduces the likelihood of it being used inappropriately.

The latest Crime Survey (published July 2013) shows that use of the 101 number has increased since 2011.