Departmental Telephone Services
Cabinet Office
Written answers and statements, 2 November 2009
Mark Oaten (Winchester, Liberal Democrat)
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will consider the merits of securing accreditation of her Department's helplines to the Helplines Association's quality standard; and if she will make a statement.
Angela Smith (Minister of State (Third Sector), Cabinet Office; Basildon, Labour)
The Office of the Third Sector is responsible for running an inquiry line whose primary purpose is to support the variety of other information sources (publications, website) available to members of the public on Government's support for the Third Sector. Whilst I commend the Helplines Association's Quality Standard, the Office of the Third Sector inquiry line falls outside the criteria for such a standard.