Fair Billing Campaign And Telewest

EDM number 1587 in 2002-03, proposed by Gordon Marsden on 14/07/2003.

That this House notes an increasing trend among utility companies to introduce unjustified charges into their billing arrangements that fall disproportionately heavily on the elderly, on those who rely on carers to handle their financial affairs, on those who do not have easy access to bank accounts and on other vulnerable groups; considers that billing an additional charge for non-direct debit payment is an example of such unwelcome practice; does not believe that there is any justification for charging customers extra for paying their bills in full and on time in cash; welcomes the constructive response of Telewest to representations from the honourable Member for Blackpool South in offering to waive their charge for non-direct debit payments for long-standing customers with a good credit history with the company, encourages all Telewest customers who believe they could benefit from this to contact Telewest; and urges all other utility companies to abandon these charges completely

This motion has been signed by a total of 80 MPs.