Have your say on nuisance marketing calls says Farron

South Lakes MP Tim Farron is urging people to respond to an inquiry into nuisance telephone marketing calls.

Parliament's Culture, Media and Sport Committee is planning to hold an inquiry into Nuisance Telephone Calls and Text Messages.

Unwanted marketing messages can be received by telephone or text message. Together with abandoned, including silent, telephone calls, these have led to many complaints to Members of Parliament.

Tim said: "There are rules to regulate this sort of activity but many people feel those rules are being abused. Even my office number in Kendal gets automated calls asking if we want to make a claim for a refund of Payment Protection Insurance!"

Ofcom and the Information Commissioner's Office both have regulatory and enforcement responsibilities. The Telephone Preference Service allows individuals to have their telephone number removed from relevant marketing lists.

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has decided to hold an inquiry into nuisance telephone calls and text messages, focusing on the current regulatory system and its enforcement, the effectiveness of the Telephone Preference Service and practical measures by communications service providers to curtail such communications.

The inquiry will focus on the current regulatory system and its enforcement, the effectiveness of the Telephone Preference Service and communications service providers.

The Committee requests short written submissions in Word format to be sent by e-mail to cmsev@parliament.uk and should have "Nuisance calls" in the subject line.

Submissions to the Committee should be received by Thursday 15 August 2013.