Clause 117 - Approval of code for premium rate services
Communications Bill
6:45 pm
Mr Stephen Timms (Minister of State (e-Commerce & Competitiveness), Department of Trade and Industry; East Ham, Labour)
It is certainly not the Government's intention that ICSTIS, or indeed anyone else who might in future be responsible for the code referred to in the clause, should engage in economic regulation. I agree with the hon. Gentleman about that. We aim to ensure that users are not taken advantage of by unscrupulous operators or subjected to extraordinary costs without being aware of the risks that they are running. In principle, that requires the transparency on cost and maximum charge prior to a call being terminated that the amendment envisages. The ICSTIS codes sets out several different maximum charges. There is the potential for services to be structured in a way in which a set maximum would not be appropriate. In any event, setting a maximum charge might not be helpful to mobile operators where the cost of premium rate service is often a little higher than it would be from a land line.
We should stick to the wording in the Bill. I give an undertaking to reflect on what has been said this afternoon and look again at several issues. I shall consider whether the text will implement our intentions faithfully. If we conclude that changes are needed, I shall table an amendment at a later stage.