Take Action on Hoax Callers says MP                                                                                   

Neil Gerrard, Labour MP for Walthamstow, is supporting calls for the Government to take tough action against people who make hoax calls to emergency services.

"Last year 70,000 hoax calls were made to ambulance services" says Mr Gerrard, "and many thousands more hoax 999 calls were made. It has been estimated that the cost of emergency services responding to these calls could be in excess of £32 million, all taxpayers' money."

"As well as the costs, though, every time an ambulance or fire engine goes to a hoax call the lives of other people who really do need assistance can be put at risk. The penalty for offences such as these can be up to six months in prison, or a fine of up to £5000, but since the Telecommunications Act brought in these penalties 18 years ago, no hoax callers have been prosecuted under its provisions."

"I think we should be taking a zero tolerance approach to the people responsible for hoax calls, and it should be regarded as a serious crime. I am calling on the Government to address this problem, and to take action."

October 2002

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