SNP Consumer Affairs spokesperson and local MP Patricia Gibson has welcomed UK Government moves on nuisance calls, as it finally adopts the provisions she proposed in her Bill nearly two years ago.
Directors of firms which bombard people with nuisance calls could now be fined up to £500,000 under government proposals to make them personally liable. At present, only companies themselves are liable for fines and companies can easily be dissolved and new ones started, allowing evasion of fines.
Patricia Gibson has led on this cause at Westminster, and introduced her Bill on nuisance calls in 2016. The UK Government agreed then to fully adopt the recommendations proposed and legislate to make directors personally responsible for their company’s actions.
Ms Gibson said: ‘’Nuisance calls can be the bane of people’s lives so I welcome that the full provisions of my Bill are to be implemented by the UK Government, even if it has been a very long time coming. This will mean that directors of nuisance call operations could be fined up to £500,000.
“Scores of constituents have contacted me and many of my colleagues, explaining how nuisance calls are making their lives a misery and seeking action to prevent them. Such calls can be particularly disturbing for the most vulnerable people in our communities.
“For far too long, fines or sanctions have been easily avoided by companies dissolving and resurfacing using a new moniker. The UK Government agreed that company directors would be held to account.
“Finally, the UK Government has lived up to their commitment to adopt the recommendations proposed in my Billy. That, I am delighted to say, should finally end the scourge of these calls.”
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