MPs urge mobile phone companies
to bar prostitutes’ numbers

Fifty-three MPs have backed a call for the statutory call barring of phone numbers on prostitutes’ cards placed illegally in phone boxes.

The House of Commons motion expresses disappointment at the “continued inaction of mobile phone operators” in implementing this policy although BT has been stopping incoming calls to BT numbers appearing on prostitutes’ cards since 1996.

Karen Buck, Labour MP for Regents Park and Kensington North, the sponsor of the motion, said: “This is an extremely serious issue; behind the problem of cards are serious crimes including human trafficking, illegal immigration and drug dealing. The distributors of the cards are using mobile phone numbers to get around BT’s call barring. Because the mobile companies haven’t taken action, the only viable way of tackling this problem will come through statutory call barring.”

More than a million cards a year are removed by BT from its central London phone boxes at a cost of £250,000, but typically only five per cent of the cards advertise a BT number. “Carding” is also a problem in Brighton and Hove and Norwich.

BT has also expressed its frustration at the mobile operators’ reluctance to voluntarily implement a call barring scheme. Fixed line operators Telewest Broadband and ntl have recently began barring calls to telephone numbers appearing on prostitutes’ cards.

Paul Hendron, BT Payphones’ director, said: “In November last year, all the mobile networks: Orange, O2, T-Mobile, Vodafone and 3 came to our offices in Maidstone to see the Targeted Recording and Processing (TRAP) system that we use to identify and bar numbers. This is a simple and efficient solution but it requires all operators to participate if it is to be really effective.

“Even if the people advertising change their number, there is still the expense and inconvenience to them of producing new cards and the loss to them of a number that’s well known to their clientele.”

“Call barring by both fixed line and mobile operators would be a very significant step towards the elimination of a problem that has been plaguing our customers, Londoners and visitors to the city for many years. It’s very disappointing that so far none of the mobile companies, with the exception of O2 who have offered to consider a trial, have indicated that they are willing to act.”

An independent study by the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science at University College London (UCL) has concluded that if telephone operators feel unable to assist in call barring, it may be necessary to consider introducing legislation to enforce this in the public interest.

Westminster City Council, whose central London borough is the worst affected by cards, has been pressing the mobile companies for some time to bar calls to prostitutes advertising in phone boxes. Councillor Kit Malthouse, deputy leader of Westminster City Council, said: “Prostitutes' cards are more than just harmless titillation. By dialling a number on a card you are entering into a world of organised crime, trafficked women and exploited underage girls.

“The mobile phone companies are well aware of what their numbers on the cards are being used for yet they don't seem to care. All the companies feign corporate social responsibility yet when given the opportunity to make a difference to the lives of trafficked and abused women they have proven that their actions do not match their words.”

BT commissioned the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science in January 2004 to produce an independent study about prostitutes’ cards. The report called Carding in kiosks, the illegal advertising of prostitutes’ cards, was delivered in November 2004, and is the most detailed analysis of the problem undertaken in the UK to date.

Professor Gloria Laycock, director of the Institute of Crime Science at UCL, said: “The Government really needs to address the prostitution problem more widely, but in the meantime our review of the options for dealing with carding showed call barring to be by far the most effective response.”

560 PROSTITUTION AND CALL-BARRING

That this House notes the significant and growing problem of prostitute carding in telephone boxes in the UK, which has been acknowledged by the Government in its review of prostitution; further notes that carding is simply a visible top layer of criminal activity behind which lies a range of serious crimes, including human trafficking, illegal immigration and drug dealing; welcomes the leadership shown by BT to tackle prostitute carding by barring incoming calls to any BT owned telephone number appearing on the cards; further welcomes the recent agreement by NTL and Telewest to support and implement this system; expresses disappointment at the continued inaction of mobile phone operators in implementing this simple, cost-effective measure; recognises that the only viable option for an effective solution will come through a statutory system of call-barring; further notes that the Home Office's original intention was that such a system would be set in place to complement the criminalisation of carding in the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001; and calls on the Government to take the necessary steps to introduce statutory call-barring at the earliest opportunity.

Number of lines advertised on prostitute cards found in central London phone boxes per telecommunications company (April 2004)

Company	Number of lines	Percentage of cards collected
BT	33	5
NTL	37	5
O2	49	7
Orange	33	5
Telewest	143	20
T-Mobile	189	26
Vodafone	88	12
Other	152	20
Total	724	100

Criminal Justice and Police Act, 2001

Placing prostitutes’ cards in phone boxes became a criminal offence in September 2001. Carders risk a £5,000 fine or a six month prison sentence.

When introducing amendments dealing with carding to the Bill, current Home Secretary Charles Clarke, then Home Office Minister, clearly stated the Home Office’s expectation that the industry would also take forward a call-barring solution.

He said: “Finally, I should note that although this amendment is an important part of tackling the problem, there are other measures that can complement legislation.

Oftel has had talks with the telecommunications industry about a call barring scheme and will develop further proposals in consultation with the industry. Part of the agreement with the industry is that we will do what we can in legislation and the industry will do what it can on the technological side. “

Charles Clarke, MP, Consideration of Lords Amendments, Criminal Justice and Police Bill, May 10, 2001.

Targeted Recording and Processing (TRAP) call barring process

Cards removed from phone boxes are recorded onto a computer system.

A customer whose phone number is found advertised five times is sent a warning letter.

If the number continues to be found on cards, incoming calls are stopped to that line.

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