<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><edm>
<id>40733</id>
<session>2009-10</session>
<number>1098</number>
<title>Free Calls To Government Departments</title>
<proposer id="10028">John Battle</proposer>
<date>2010-03-16</date>
<text>That this House welcomes the decision by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and major mobile telephone companies to make it free to call DWP 0800 numbers, including the crisis loans service, which had been costing 9,000,000 callers per year up to 40 pence per minute from a mobile telephone; congratulates the staff of Leeds Citizens Advice Bureau for their campaigning and research on behalf of claimants pressing for free telephone calls; notes that this will make a tremendous difference to the 12 per cent. of UK households, many of them amongst the poorest in Britain, who only have access to a mobile telephone and do not have a landline; and urges other Government departments, particularly HM Revenue and Customs, to take action to end the current situation, where people in the most urgent need of a financial safety net face a bill of up to £12 for a half hour call to 08 numbered Government helplines.</text>
<topics>
	<topic>Central government</topic>
</topics>
<signatures>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10028">John Battle</mp>
		<date>2010-03-16</date>
		<type>Proposed</type>
		<constituency>Leeds West</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10521">Bob Russell</mp>
		<date>2010-03-16</date>
		<type>Seconded</type>
		<constituency>Colchester</constituency>
		<party>Liberal Democrat</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10057">Peter Bottomley</mp>
		<date>2010-03-16</date>
		<type>Seconded</type>
		<constituency>Worthing West</constituency>
		<party>Conservative</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="11589">Mark Durkan</mp>
		<date>2010-03-16</date>
		<type>Seconded</type>
		<constituency>Foyle</constituency>
		<party>Social Democratic and Labour Party</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10170">Jim Dobbin</mp>
		<date>2010-03-17</date>
		<type>Seconded</type>
		<constituency>Heywood and Middleton</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="11275">Richard Taylor</mp>
		<date>2010-03-17</date>
		<type>Seconded</type>
		<constituency>Wyre Forest</constituency>
		<party>Independent</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10177">David Drew</mp>
		<date>2010-03-17</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Stroud</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="11823">Lorely Burt</mp>
		<date>2010-03-17</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Solihull</constituency>
		<party>Liberal Democrat</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="11707">John Leech</mp>
		<date>2010-03-17</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Manchester, Withington</constituency>
		<party>Liberal Democrat</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="11458">Stephen Williams</mp>
		<date>2010-03-17</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Bristol West</constituency>
		<party>Liberal Democrat</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="14137">John Mason</mp>
		<date>2010-03-17</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Glasgow East</constituency>
		<party>Scottish National Party</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10157">Ian Davidson</mp>
		<date>2010-03-17</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Glasgow South West</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10089">Ronnie Campbell</mp>
		<date>2010-03-17</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Blyth Valley</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10454">Paul Murphy</mp>
		<date>2010-03-17</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Torfaen</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10353">David Lepper</mp>
		<date>2010-03-17</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Brighton, Pavilion</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10323">Lynne Jones</mp>
		<date>2010-03-17</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Birmingham, Selly Oak</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10295">Lindsay Hoyle</mp>
		<date>2010-03-17</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Chorley</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10968">Paul Holmes</mp>
		<date>2010-03-17</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Chesterfield</constituency>
		<party>Liberal Democrat</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10274">Stephen Hepburn</mp>
		<date>2010-03-17</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Jarrow</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="13735">Dai Davies</mp>
		<date>2010-03-18</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Blaenau Gwent</constituency>
		<party>Independent</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="11420">John Hemming</mp>
		<date>2010-03-18</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Birmingham, Yardley</constituency>
		<party>Liberal Democrat</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10623">Robert Wareing</mp>
		<date>2010-03-18</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Liverpool, West Derby</constituency>
		<party>Independent</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10144">John Cummings</mp>
		<date>2010-03-18</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Easington</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10133">Jeremy Corbyn</mp>
		<date>2010-03-18</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Islington North</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="11480">Jennifer Willott</mp>
		<date>2010-03-22</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Cardiff Central</constituency>
		<party>Liberal Democrat</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="11974">Jim McGovern</mp>
		<date>2010-03-22</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Dundee West</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10128">Michael Connarty</mp>
		<date>2010-03-22</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Linlithgow and East Falkirk</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10378">Chris McCafferty</mp>
		<date>2010-03-22</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Calder Valley</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="11607">Linda Riordan</mp>
		<date>2010-03-23</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Halifax</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10657">Derek Wyatt</mp>
		<date>2010-03-23</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Sittingbourne and Sheppey</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10640">Betty Williams</mp>
		<date>2010-03-23</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Conwy</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10256">Fabian Hamilton</mp>
		<date>2010-03-23</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Leeds North East</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10189">Bill Etherington</mp>
		<date>2010-03-23</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Sunderland North</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10169">Andrew Dismore</mp>
		<date>2010-03-23</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Hendon</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10096">Martin Caton</mp>
		<date>2010-03-23</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Gower</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10368">Elfyn Llwyd</mp>
		<date>2010-03-23</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Meirionnydd Nant Conwy</constituency>
		<party>Plaid Cymru</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10578">Andrew Stunell</mp>
		<date>2010-03-24</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Hazel Grove</constituency>
		<party>Liberal Democrat</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10012">Janet Anderson</mp>
		<date>2010-03-24</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Rossendale and Darwen</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10222">Andrew George</mp>
		<date>2010-03-24</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>St Ives</constituency>
		<party>Liberal Democrat</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10857">Nigel Dodds</mp>
		<date>2010-03-24</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Belfast North</constituency>
		<party>DUP</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10754">Annette Brooke</mp>
		<date>2010-03-24</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Mid Dorset and North Poole</constituency>
		<party>Liberal Democrat</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10679">William McCrea</mp>
		<date>2010-03-24</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>South Antrim</constituency>
		<party>DUP</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10313">Brian Jenkins</mp>
		<date>2010-03-24</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Tamworth</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10288">Kelvin Hopkins</mp>
		<date>2010-03-24</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Luton North</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10541">Alan Simpson</mp>
		<date>2010-03-24</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Nottingham South</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10021">John Austin</mp>
		<date>2010-03-25</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Erith and Thamesmead</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10166">Janet Dean</mp>
		<date>2010-03-25</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Burton</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10123">Harry Cohen</mp>
		<date>2010-03-25</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Leyton and Wanstead</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10105">Michael Clapham</mp>
		<date>2010-03-29</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Barnsley West and Penistone</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10305">Eric Illsley</mp>
		<date>2010-03-30</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Barnsley Central</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10367">Tony Lloyd</mp>
		<date>2010-04-06</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Manchester Central</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10385">Eddie McGrady</mp>
		<date>2010-04-06</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>South Down</constituency>
		<party>Social Democratic and Labour Party</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="11522">Andrew Pelling</mp>
		<date>2010-04-06</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Croydon Central</constituency>
		<party>Independent</party>
	</signature>
	<signature>
		<mp id="10534">Barry Sheerman</mp>
		<date>2010-04-07</date>
		<type>Signed</type>
		<constituency>Huddersfield</constituency>
		<party>Labour</party>
	</signature>
</signatures>
</edm>