Written Parliamentary Questions: 14th December 2005
UK Air PassengersQ:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what average number of flights was taken by UK passengers (a) in 1997 and (b) in the latest year for which figures are available, broken down by social class.(John Hemming)A:
The results by socio-economic classification for 2003 are given as follows. Respondents in managerial/professional occupations had a higher mean number of air trips than those in lower occupational categories.(follow the link for the data)
(Karen Buck, Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport)Silent Calls (HMT)Q:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 30 November 2005, Official Report, column 525W, on silent calls, what estimate the Inland Revenue made in 2004–05 of the number of silent calls made from its offices and those of its contractors using predictive dialler technology. (John Hemming)A:
Full information is not available on the number of calls where contact was made but operators were not available and it is therefore not possible to make meaningful estimates.
HMRC recognises that silent calls can cause people concern which is why, when using an outbound dialler, a caller line identity is always displayed so anyone missing a call would have the option of calling the number back. Additionally HMRC configures its predictive diallers to ensure the minimum of silent calls in line with Ofcom guidelines. (Dawn Primarolo, Paymaster General, HM Treasury)