Government unveils new plans to clamp down on nuisance marketing calls
The government is trying to crack down on companies that hound households with unsolicited marketing calls after the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) revealed that it received over 120,000 complaints between April and November last year.
Culture Secretary Maria Miller is pushing forward new plans in consultation with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) which is reviewing whether firms that break the rules should be fined up to 20 per cent of their annual turnover.
"Nuisance calls must stop. At best they are an irritation and an unwanted intrusion, at worst they cause real distress and fear, particularly to the elderly or housebound," said Miller.
"People need to feel safe and secure in their homes. The rules are clear - people have the right to choose not to receive unsolicited marketing calls. We will work to ensure their choice is respected."
Currently firms can only be punished if "substantial damage" is caused to householders by nuisance calls.