PEOPLE are to get greater protection against unwanted 'junk' faxes and unsolicited telephone calls from the summer, according to Pendle MP Gordon Prentice.

The Labour politician, who admitted sending out hundreds of press releases by fax each year, said: "The ban on sending unwanted junk faxes to individuals will be in force in a few months and not before time.

"People will also be able to 'opt out' of receiving unwanted direct marketing phone calls by registering their name with a centralised list. Companies will be able to sign up to a similar scheme to avoid receiving junk faxes.

"Marketers will be required to offer a contact address or freephone number so that people can contact them to ask to be removed from their databases."

Industry Minister Barbara Roche added: "Being disturbed at home by an unwanted phone call from someone trying to sell you a product you don't want is for many an irritating invasion of privacy.

"It's even more frustrating for people who have a fax at home who receive unwanted junk faxes that not only use up their fax paper but can also disturb them at night.

"Small companies in particular are fed up having their fax machines clogged by unwanted advertising and 'joke' faxes."

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