HC 636-i

Written evidence submitted by Mark Iliff [NTC 001]

I welcome the committee's decision to look into this issue. I signed up with TPS several years ago, but during the last 6-9 months the number of unsolicited calls has become higher than it was then. And that's after going ex-directory, which I never felt the need to do before.

I find it hard to relate to "nuisance" as a descriptor. My work includes computer programming, which requires a high degree of concentration. The cost of taking a phone call is higher than just the time it takes: picking up the mental threads, and maybe restarting the step that was interrupted, are real costs too.

I don't have many ideas for remedies, and I'm confident that the committee can improve on these:

· require mass callers to obtain a licence: it's a legal requirement for radio broadcasts, and listeners can opt out of those easily and instantly

· ban mass calling from offshore: make UK residence a condition of the licence

· automatic fines-£100 per minute, say-for every call made where the mass caller cannot demonstrate consent.

Stealing time should be just as unacceptable as stealing possessions.

July 2013