A report on nuisance calls has been blasted as “weak” amid claims it will do little to end the menace.
The Sunday Post has obtained a copy of the long-awaited findings of a UK Government taskforce report, headed by consumer group Which?, being published tomorrow on what to do about cold calls.
It contains no concrete proposals for the coalition to introduce laws or ways to deal with the companies bombarding households.
The only eye-catching recommendation is to make company bosses personally liable if their firm is caught making nuisance calls or sending spam texts.
Which? last night insisted the report will act as a “call to arms for businesses and regulators to raise their game”.
It’s understood some UK Government ministers are unhappy it doesn’t go further.
Lib Dem MP Mike Crockart has led a campaign in parliament against nuisance calls. He said: “I’m disappointed in the report.
“Coming from Which?, it’s uncharacteristically weak, there’s a lack of concrete recommendations that will make a difference immediately.”
The taskforce was set up as part of the Government’s nuisance calls action plan launched in March.
Which? was asked to lead the investigation which focussed on consent how people agree to receive marketing calls and how they go about stopping firms from bothering them.
The taskforce included members from watchdogs Ofcom and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Which? Executive Director Richard Lloyd said: “We want this moment to spark a wave of action to help finally put an end to this everyday menace.”
The recommendation on making company bosses personally liable if their firm is caught making nuisance calls or sending spam texts could see directors hit with fines up to £500,000 the maximum the ICO can currently levy.
However there is no compulsion on the Government, regulators or companies to do anything and it’s feared ministers will greet it with warm words before kicking it into the long grass.
MP Crockart points out that the action plan launched in the spring promised legislation by now to make it easier for the ICO to take action against rogue firms.
Currently the ICO must prove nuisance calls caused “substantial distress”. Campaigners want the threshold reduced to causing “annoyance”.
The consultation into lowering the threshold only closed today and the results won’t be known until the new year. The Sunday Post has fought tirelessly against the scourge of nuisance calls since launching our campaign in 2012.
Report by James Millar and Andrew Picken
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