REMOVAL OF BT LINE RENTAL STANDING CHARGE

Early day motion 299, tabled 20 January 2000 by Roy Beggs (UUP). Signed by 116 members.

That this House welcomes the decision of British Gas to remove standing charges from customers accounts and commends Northern Ireland Electricity for making a partial step in this direction; acknowledges that the telephone bills of pensioners and other limited users of telephone services include a disproportionate cost in respect of standing charge when compared with the cost of telephone calls made; and calls upon British Telecom and other providers of telephone services to urgently review their current billing practices and subsequently completely remove the standing charge element from accounts in order that charges for telephone use are solely in respect of calls made.

Signatures by party: Labour 79, Liberal Democrat 14, Conservative 7, UUP 6, Labour/Co-operative 4, Plaid Cymru 2, DUP 1, Scottish National Party 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1, Unknown 1.