Noose tightens on the rogue callers

The DMA has backed a series of proposed measures to combat the menace of nuisance calls – published by the Culture, Media & Sport Committee – which demand better enforcement of existing laws rather than more regulation.
The wide-ranging 40-page report stops short of recommending replacing the Information Commissioner’s Office and Ofcom with a single regulator, conceding that would only have “superficial appeal”.
Instead it wants a single point of contact for consumers “coupled with more effective coordination between regulators”, calling it “both more achievable and desirable”.
Among the other recommendations to tackle what the committee branded “a bane to millions”, it said phone firms must offer customers more options to screen nuisance calls free-of-charge; a lowering of the threshold to act against nuisance callers; and Ofcom should extend its persistent misuse powers to cover all direct marketing calls.
In addition the Direct Marketing Commission should be handed greater authority to share relevant information with both the DMA and the Telephone Preference Service.
Commenting on the report, DMA chief of operations Mike Lordan said: “The committee’s report is comprehensive, balanced, fair and sensible. We welcome it as an important contribution to the debate on how to tackle the problem of irresponsible and dishonest telemarketing. Dishonest telemarketing is a source of distress and annoyance to people as well as businesses. The report correctly identifies the target as rogue companies – rather than the reputable telemarketing industry, which adheres to the highest standards of best practice.
“We are particularly pleased that the committee has endorsed some of our own views and suggestions, such as making ‘caller line identification’ compulsory for all marketing calls, in line with the DMA’s Code of Practice; a lower threshold for ICO enforcement action; more and better enforcement rather than further regulation; and authority for the DM Commission to share relevant information with the DMA and TPS to make complaint handling more effective.
“We also welcome the committee’s recognition of the value of the DMA’s Code of Practice in setting standards that should be adhered to by all telemarketers.”

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