Winchester MP pressing for clampdown on nuisance calls and texts (From Andover Advertiser)

Winchester MP pressing for clampdown on nuisance calls and texts

12:08pm Friday 15th March 2013 in Winchester

WINCHESTER MP Steve Brine has joined a new Parliamentary group calling for action on nuisance phone calls.

Mr Brine believes the problem continues to grow locally: “This is something that has increasingly come up through door-knocking and general conversation with my constituents, and the effects of these calls really are very disturbing for some people.”

In May 2011, the Information Commissioner's Office was empowered to fine companies up to £500,000 if they broke the rules on unsolicited texts and phone calls.

Last year it received more than 7,000 complaints - a 43 per cent increase on 2011 when fewer than 5,000 complaints were received.

The ICO used these powers for the first time last year and issued fines totalling over £250,000 to two illegal marketers who distributed millions of spam texts.

A constituent, Alan Gordon, of Wentworth Grange, Winchester, said: “These calls are extremely annoying. The people making them are very adept at disguising the real nature of their call. To avoid getting these calls I can no longer answer a call that does not come from a number I recognise and so I have become un-contactable to a lot of people and organisations.”