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<p>The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) independently regulate the Privacy
and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003, the framework which governs unsolicited
direct marketing and nuisance calls. Unsolicited calls coming from beyond our jurisdiction
remain a concern, although the ICO has not identified any noticeable or recent increase
in volume in respect of this issue.</p><p> </p><p>To help tackle the problem, the
ICO engages with the Do Not Call Forum of the Unsolicited Communications Enforcement
Network, which includes overseas regulators with responsibility for tackling nuisance
calls. The ICO works with other members, including the US Federal Trade Commission
(FTC), the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission and regulators
in South Africa and Australia, to drive forward co-ordinated actions, including sharing
relevant intelligence. They are also exploring with local trade associations, representing
call centres based in India and other countries, ways to work with relevant authorities
to tackle the problem at source.</p><p> </p><p>The Government have already forced
companies to display their number when calling, and made it easier for the ICO to
prosecute those in breach of direct marketing legislation. We continue to review the
ICO's powers of enforcement, and will consider what we are able to do to assist them
in tackling this problem.</p>
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