Cold calling inquiry looks at Sunday Post evidence

Government takes action on phone nuisances.

A government probe into nuisance calls has asked The Sunday Post to pass them the findings of our damning investigations into the industry.

Our dossier will form a central part of the written evidence the Culture, Media and Sports Committee look at next week as part of their inquiry on nuisance calls.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport governs almost all the telemarketing industry apart from PPI companies, who are regulated by the Ministry of Justice.

Next week they’ll hear evidence about the problems from experts and campaigners.

It comes six months after we presented a 20,000-name petition to Number 10 demanding action.

Thanks to our pressure, two powerful Westminster groups are now looking at halting the practice.

As well as the DCMS’s Committee, an inquiry by an All-Party Parliamentary Group into cold calls has been set up.

A Backbencher’s Bill from Edinburgh West MP Mike Crockart who also chairs the APPG is also going through Parliament.

It proposes sweeping new laws.

Meanwhile, we have discovered kitchen design firm DM Design has finally begun paying off the £90,000 fine it was hit with six months ago.

The Cumbernauld-based outfit headed by entrepreneur Donnie Macleod was the first British company fined for menacing households with unsolicited cold calls.

Since then, Manchester-based Tameside Energy Services, has also been fined £45,000.

The Information Commissioner’s Office carried out an extensive investigation into DM Design’s cold-calling over an 18-month period.

Despite failing to appeal the mammoth penalty, we reported in June how bosses there had ignored it.

Instead they blamed their failure to pay on a paperwork mix-up. But now the company who made £4 million gross profit last year say they will pay the fine by November. However, the delay means they miss out on a 20% discount they would have qualified for if they had paid promptly.

A spokesman for the ICO said: “We can’t go into how much DM Design have paid so far but they say they will have settled the fine by November.”

Mike Crockart MP said: “It’s excellent that the issue of nuisance calls is now being taken seriously across Westminster.

“The APPG’s inquiry as well as that of the DCMS Committee mean that people are able to give MPs evidence on how nuisance calls affect them.

“I’m pleased DM Design is beginning to pay their fine. Powers to actually collect fines are limited and that’s something which we should look to strengthen.”