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517073

registered interest
date	03/05/2016
answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Mobile Phones
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to prevent mobile telephone providers from imposing long notice periods on customers who are out of contract and wish to move to another provider.
tabling member constituency	Warrington North
tabling member printed	Helen Jones
uin	36372
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2016 answer text <p>Most mobile telephone providers include terms within contracts that require customers to serve up to 30 days’ minimum notice period in order to terminate a contract, regardless of whether the customer is within the minimum term of their contract or not. Ofcom's view is that this may be longer than necessary and is currently consulting to make improvements with regards to mobile switching for consumers. In addition, the Government is committed to making it easier and quicker to switch services and fully supports Ofcom’s interim findings in the recent digital communications review.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey question first answered 09/05/2016 14:55:42 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
tabling member	432 label Biography information for Helen Jones

446249

registered interest
date	20/01/2016
answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Mobile Phones
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will discuss with mobile telephone companies steps to reduce and standardise the time between a provider unlocking a phone and the owner of that phone being able to use it with another provider.
tabling member constituency	Bath
tabling member printed	Ben Howlett
uin	23249
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2016 answer text <p>The Government wants to reduce the cost and hassle of switching mobile providers for consumers. We expect industry to start automatically unlocking customers’ handsets at the end of their contracts, and will consult this year on ending the practice of handset locking for customers outside their initial contract period.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey question first answered 27/01/2016 13:43:15 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
tabling member	4445 label Biography information for Ben Howlett

442579

registered interest
date	05/01/2016
answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Mobile Phones
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his Department's policy is on capping exceed costs on mobile phone contracts for consumers.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Northfield
tabling member printed	Richard Burden
uin	20904
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2016 answer text <p>The UK mobile network operators (Vodafone, Three, O2 and EE, together with Virgin Mobile) have signed a Code of Practice on Consumer Billing, which sets out a number of ways help customers to avoid excess charges when exceeding their monthly allowance. The code outlines the need for regular updates on usage, so customers can manage spend. For example, operators committed to sending alerts to customers - usually SMS messages - when they are nearing their bundle limits.</p><p>In addition, for contracts entered into after 23 January 2014, consumers can exit contracts without penalty, and hence can switch to another provider or tariff, when the agreed core price (usually the monthly subscription) increases. All communications providers have to comply with these rules when increasing prices.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey question first answered 15/01/2016 11:45:10 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
tabling member	301 label Biography information for Richard Burden

433166

registered interest
date	30/11/2015
answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Mobile Phones
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much has been spent on the Mobile Infrastructure Project as of the end of November 2015; and what proportion of that figure was spent on (a) construction, (b) planning permission, (c) administration and (d) other costs.
tabling member constituency	North Norfolk
tabling member printed	Norman Lamb
uin	18134
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2015 answer text <p>As at the end of November 2015, spend on the Mobile Infrastructure Project is £9.1 Million. The breakdown of this spend is not in the format requested but the following information can be provided:</p><ul><li><p>Site Builds - £0.9 Million.</li><li><p>Site Searches and acquisitions, which includes obtaining planning permission - £5.1 Million.</li><li><p>Supplier management and programme management costs and one-off supplier deliverables - £3 Million</li></ul><p /> <p>The above spend relates to concluded and ongoing activities to enable identification of suitable locations to build masts. The spend in respect of Site Builds includes payments for some of the masts that are already on air.</p><br /> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey question first answered 14/12/2015 14:10:04 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
tabling member	1439 label Biography information for Norman Lamb

419492

registered interest
date	17/09/2015
answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Mobile Phones
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on vulnerable consumers of the switching regime in the mobile sector.
tabling member constituency	Knowsley
tabling member printed	Mr George Howarth
uin	10548
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>The Government is committed to working with Ofcom to support quick and easy switching in communications markets. In its current consultation on mobile switching, Ofcom sets out considerations of how current switching processes may lead to consumer harm. Problems that may occur include consumer difficulty with switching processes, unnecessary costs, navigating different processes, breaks in continuity of service, lack of awareness of the implications of and any liabilities arising from switching, and erroneous transfers and ‘slamming’ (where consumers are switched without their consent). Ofcom’s evidence suggests that, although existing mobile switching processes perform relatively well against those measures, they are likely to generate a degree of consumer harm.</p><p>For those who have not switched, the perception of a difficult process can inhibit their engagement with the market and any decision to switch, which is likely to mean they are paying more. BIS research indicates that consumers who may be vulnerable by virtue of personal circumstances - for example, those who are elderly, not working and/or lack ‘self-efficacy’, confidence or trust - tend to be fairly disengaged from markets and the purchase process. Those consumers are much less likely than other groups to gather information, check whether they are on the best deal or switch supplier.</p><p>Ofcom is currently consulting on options to improve mobile switching, with the aim of simplifying and automating the process for all consumers.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey question first answered 12/10/2015 12:38:31 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
tabling member	481 label Biography information for Sir George Howarth

419493

registered interest
date	17/09/2015
answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Mobile Phones
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations his Department has received from Ofcom on that body's powers to mandate a gaining provider-led switching regime in the mobile sector.
tabling member constituency	Knowsley
tabling member printed	Mr George Howarth
uin	10549
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>The Government is committed to working with Ofcom to support quick and easy switching in communications markets and we will do all we can to move towards a system of gaining provider-led (GPL) switching across the board. Ofcom is currently consulting on process reforms for switching mobile services, including proposals for a GPL model. Under its existing powers, it has already introduced GPL processes for customers switching broadband and fixed-line services. It is apparent from my officials’ ongoing discussions with Ofcom - and from its recent work and current proposals to improve switching processes - that Ofcom has powers to introduce a GPL switching regime for mobile services, should it determine following its consultation that such a reform would be proportionate.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey question first answered 12/10/2015 12:38:43 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
tabling member	481 label Biography information for Sir George Howarth

419497

registered interest
date	17/09/2015
answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Mobile Phones
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the regulation of mobile telephone operators in order to ensure that customers receive the service that they pay for and are properly compensated if they do not; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	North East Hampshire
tabling member printed	Mr Ranil Jayawardena
uin	10636
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>There are a number of coverage and quality measures that apply to communications providers; for example, spectrum licence conditions on mobile coverage and targets for Openreach on repair and installation times for fixed line and broadband services. Ofcom is working with the main broadband providers and mobile operators to ensure that appropriate redress is available to consumers when necessary, including when coverage and quality is unsatisfactory. Consumers can also seek redress on an individual basis, under the term implied into service contracts by the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982, that the service will be carried out with reasonable care and skill. Effective from 1 October 2015, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 makes clear the rights of redress for consumers who do not receive a service that conforms to their contract; depending on circumstances, suitable remedies can include a price reduction, compensation or a right of exit.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey grouped question UIN 10635 question first answered 12/10/2015 12:39:24 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
tabling member	4498 label Biography information for Mr Ranil Jayawardena