Did Alun Michael misled Parliament again?

[El Gringo]

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 6 Jun 2005 (pt 23)

Premium Rate Lines

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment he has made of the number of people affected by malpractices in the premium rate telephone information services industry. [1160]

Alun Michael [holding answer 26 May 2005]: In the first quarter of 2005 complaints received by the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) were down by a third compared to 2004 at 8,446 complaints. This represents a 33 per cent. reduction in the number of complaints compared to the first quarter of 2004, during which ICSTIS received 12,542 complaints. ICSTIS has taken a number of measures to inform consumers about premium rate services and numbers that appear on their telephone bills, and has increased its use of emergency procedures to close down services before they can cause extensive consumer harm.

News paper reports of the time mention "Icstis in meltdown" and "2000 complaints a day" and "Icstis switch board jammed"!

Telecom One and their Majorcan business parteners were using 3000 premium rate numbers and according to the BBC only accounted for 20% of complaints. They had been recieving complaints and were under Icstis investigation from "1st Jan 04 onwards".
The Guardian News paper reporter claimed Icstis told him "each number" on his telephone bill had recieved "at least 25 complaints" within June 04.
According to Alun Michael if the Majorcan ring had accounted for all 100% of all complaints in the first quarter of 04 each of the 3000 numbers would only have accounted for approx 4 complaints each.

It appears Alun Micheal has been seriously misleading Parliament as to the true scale of financial harm Icstis and the UK Premium Rate Industry were involved in.
Why wouldn't Alun Michael agree to an investigation into Premium Media Communications and the ring of Majorcan companies.
How big is the Alun Michaels pile of dirt under his Icstis carpet?
How big is this Michael's pile of

[Zer02004]

I've had first hand experience of Alun Michael. The most flattering description of him that I can think of is "abhorrent".

[Worldlife]

Yes

(a quick reply!)

......... don't all politicians mislead us. Isn't Alun Michael just another New Labour politician following the example of his leader>>>>>>>>

B ush Poodle

L ord Almighty (or thinks he is doing God's will)

A rrogant

I mpossible I'm wrong

R ogue. Bombs kills or maims civilians (including women and children) in Iraq and cannot therefore ask Israel for a cease fire in Lebanon. (so perhaps he does have some weird scruples!)

[El Gringo]

This was Alun Michael's response to information I sent my MP.

October 2005
8 Nov 2005 (
Dear El Gringo's MP.

We work with both ICSTIS and Ofcom, the independant communications regulator, to ensure a co-ordinated, effective response to PRS problems as they arise.



Notice they only let him use a crayon.

On the 11 Nov this is what the BBC said about the exact same information.
The Great Phone Call Con
Since that programme we have discovered that Icstis and ministers had allowed this Majorcan group to operate for at least 17 months.

My MP has recently sent Margaret Hodge the same info and asked her to explain, considering the nature and level of complaint why the regulators allowed the fixed-line billing platforms to carry on forcing families to pay these bills for 17 months.
Interestingly he also sent her Alun Micael's original response to look at, wonder why?
This all relates to 0909967**** numbers. If she answers I'll post.

[El Gringo]

It's the same person.
He wrote this

In 1998, he published a sequel to "The Laundrymen,"

and said that

"taken out back and horse whipped because they're full of crap"

This is a really good billboard .

[El Gringo]

4th August 2006

Dear ********

I am in receipt of your letter of the 1st August, 2006.

I am not aware that any case relating to the fraud that you outline in your letter has been forwarded to this office.

The investigation of crime is a matter for the police. The responsibility of the Crown Prosecution Service is the prosecution of the case.

I suggest that you contact the police to find out what they have done to investigate the allegations.

Yours sincerely
************

CHIEF CROWN PROSECUTOR

Mr CCP has been given all the information that we have and he believes it is a matter for the police.
Icstis' part played in the crime was also mentioned.
I wonder how much weight this letter carries

[El Gringo]

My MP has recently sent Margaret Hodge the same info and asked her to explain, considering the nature and level of complaint why the regulators allowed the fixed-line billing platforms to carry on forcing families to pay these bills for 17 months.
Interestingly he also sent her Alun Micael's original response to look at, wonder why?
This all relates to 0909967**** numbers. If she answers I'll post.

18 August 2006
Dear Local MP
Thank you for your letter of 12 July, enclosing further correspondence from your comstintuents, *************, about illegal diallers on the internet running up high bills for consumers.

The independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information (ICSTIS) is the regulator for premium rate services. This body is independent of Government and as such it is the responsibility of ICSTIS to decide whether or not to prohibit provision of service to consumers by a premium rate services provider.

Therefore, I am sending your letter to ICSTIS for a response to your constituent's complaint.

******
MARGARET HODGE

.
Margaret Hodge is now in reciept of all the information relating to the dialler fraud the Majorcan ring of companies were responsible for. She has been given the information showing Icstis recieved many tens of thousands of identical complaints concerning the same group of companies using known numbers over a seventeen month period. I believe it's time for an explanation. If and when I recieve one I'll post it.

[El Gringo]

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/search/?s=icstis
Written Answers — Trade and Industry: Sir Alistair Graham (25 Jul 2006)

Margaret Hodge: Sir Alistair Graham is contracted to ICSTIS for an average of two days per week.
Written Answers — Trade and Industry: Sir Alistair Graham (18 Jul 2006)

Margaret Hodge: Sir Alistair Graham was appointed as Chairman of ICSTIS on 2 February 2006. Sir Alistair took up his appointment on 1 June 2006 and he receives an annual salary of £45,000.

.

[El Gringo]

Grumbletext.

[El Gringo]

Thousands of UK citizens paid the bill for ICSTIS's inaction - I wonder why they accept that. I guess most of them just don't know and still believe the fairytales of poor overwhelmed ICSTIS in Summer 2004.

Originally Posted by GDF

GDF I think you have helped get the proof to show Istis' story was a fairy tale.

Icstis' excuse was 'there were thousands of "service providers" and it was impossible to police all of them' but Icstis would stop them operating as soon as they discovered there was a problem.

We now know 20% of all complaints concerned the same small group in Majorca.
We now know Icstis started recieving thousands of identical complaints about this group from 1st Jan 2004 onwards.
We now know that despite the level and nature of complaint, Icstis allowed them licence to operate until at least May 2005 (according to Alun Michael). Usually Ministers answers in Westminster are not this helpful
BT recieved the same complaints and billed the same numbers for 17 months.

This is beautiful evidence that asks a beautiful question. But who will answer the question?

The premium Rate Industry is a..........Business men/Government/City investors ....agreement.
The investors wanted gaurantees and safegaurds from business and government that protected the money invested.
Answer....The government decided to replace the existing criminal and consumer laws that protected the public and replace them with Icstis.

[El Gringo]

Recieved today

30th August 2006
From Icstis
To
Dear Local MP

*******, Private Secretary to Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MBE MP, Minister of State for Industry and the Regions, DTI, has referred your letter dated 12 July 2006, to ICSTIS. Your correspondence has now been brought to the attention of the Chairman, Sir Alistair Graham, who will respond once an investigation has been carried out into your constituent's complaint.

Whilst every endeavor will be taken to carry out the investigation quickly, I would like to take this opportunity to explain that ICSTIS is dealing with an exceptionally high number of complaints and it is therefore likely that the investigation will take up to 12 weeks to complete.

Yours sincerely
***********
PA to the Director & Chairman

Date: 11/07/06
Source: Financial Times
'Sir Alistair said operators should do due diligence on the companies because "one or two major scams" could result in enormous reputational damage for all those involved.'

Icstis have the beautiful evidence. They have the beautiful question. Will we have the whitewash?
Thank you GDF.