Further Probe Required into Television Quizzes - 6th Feb, 2007

Swansea East MP spoke after a reported 'whistleblower' made allegations about TV Quiz Channels.

Mrs James has already raised concerns to Ministers in the Deparment of Culture, Media and Sport about the channels - which can attract 100,000 calls an hour and charge callers 75p a time even when they do not get on screen.

The Swansea East MP has echoed a report by a Commons select committee which has demanded tighter regulation of the shows and called for them to be classed as gambling.

Sian James MP said:

"There's a big question to be answered about the management of these programmes and the fair play. I don't think people are silly. People have to make up their minds themselves. The companies win all round. They're not doing it for the benefit of your health, they're doing it to make money.

"There needs to be more regulation of these companies. After all, the protection of the public should be utmost in everything we do."

Whistleblower Robert Winsor's evidence to the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, came as MPs published their report into the issue. He was so concerned by what he witnessed on the show he worked on that he contacted police, who launched a fraud investigation. The case was dropped last month due to insufficient evidence, and referred to media regulator Ofcom.

Mrs James added: "Games of chance should be the subject of as much fair play as possible."