PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
REMOVAL OF BT LINE RENTAL STANDING CHARGE (20 January 2000)

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.

Sponsored by:
Mr Roy Beggs (Ulster Unionist Party)