Company directors could be fined up to £500,000 if their business is behind nuisance phone calls, under government moves to clamp down on the problem.

The law is to be changed in Spring 2017 to make directors personally liable for breaches of regulations. At the moment only firms can be fined for ignoring rules on cold calling, but many declare bankruptcy - only to open up again under a different name. Consumer group Which? said it was a "massive victory". Companies offering to help to reclaim mis-sold payment protection insurance or with accident claims are behind some of the most common nuisance calls. The change will mean the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) would be able to impose combined penalties of up to £1m on company directors and their businesses for breaches of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. The ICO has issued fines totalling almost £3.7m to companies behind nuisance calls and spam text messages.

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