Reducing nuisance calls

Ways to reduce the number of nuisance calls received by people in Scotland including our most vulnerable will be discussed with industry organisations this week.

Following on from the first meeting of the commission, which focused on empowering consumers by raising awareness and helping them protect themselves, and the successful Nuisance Call Summit in June last year, Economy Secretary Keith Brown will chair the second meeting of the Nuisance Calls Commission on Wednesday which will focus on empowering and supporting companies that want to do the right thing whilst finding effective ways to tackle persistently offending companies or individuals. This follows a Which? Report that found Scotland receives a higher number of nuisance calls compared to the rest of the UK.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Mr Brown said:

“I set up the Nuisance Calls Commission to tackle the growing problem of Nuisance Calls which are disproportionately affecting Scotland with three of our main cities receiving the highest level of calls within the top five in the UK.  By bringing together key stakeholders the Nuisance Calls Commission seeks to develop a range of effective ways to protect consumers and reduce the impact of unwanted calls.

“The Scottish Government is determined to make the most of our new consumer powers to take positive steps to reduce the impact nuisance calls have on the lives of people in Scotland. However, with regulation of nuisance calls and texts reserved to the UK Government, I once again appeal to them to recognise the severity of this problem and to prioritise this by working closely with my officials to find solutions to this epidemic. Too many people are being plagued by nuisance calls in Scotland and enough is enough. I will be bringing forward an joint action plan outlining the Commission’s proposals and progress made prior to summer recess.”

Background

Nuisance Calls Commission - /groups/nuisance-calls-commission/

The Which? report showed that Glasgow came top of a table ranking 18 UK cities according to the percentage of nuisance calls received with Edinburgh second and Aberdeen fourth: http://press.which.co.uk/whichpressreleases/scottish-cities-top-the-table-for-nuisance-calls/

Chair - Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work

Scottish Government

Ofcom

Information Commissioner’s Office

Trading Standards Scotland

SCOTTS

Citizen Advice Scotland

Which?

Ofcom Communications Consumer Panel

Department for Culture, Media & Sport

Telephone Preference Service

BT

Scottish Council for Development and Industry