... chatting to someone in swansea may not be Andy's cup of tea... but for me there is less difference with that than talking to someone from an entirely different culture and system of values who may well have the educational experience to have got the job but that does not

I talk to folk in Swansea quite regularly, ecu - so I have no problem with it, I was simply pointing out that several companies already out-source to parts of the UK where their accent is difficult to understand or where the culture is very different to mine.

Over the years, I have spoken to call-centre staff across the globe, from Scotland and Newcastle to Bangalore.  In both of the former cases, I could barely understand was being said because of the strong accent (Scotland) or because the speaker used a lot of dialectical language (Newcastle).  Conversely, I was able to understand the Indian from Bangalore with minimal difficulty - and in one case, even chatted about where they were in Bangalore (the advantage of having spent time there)

peace of mind is important i feel ... and like Jan points out all those data disasters.....    if it's to do witjh our govt at whatever lefvel then i don't feel it's remotely appropriate to have this information that ought to be data protected floating around the planet.... but then the question about what should be used or done by IT... as far as the govt is concerned is one of those debates we the people should be having!

As you say, the whole issue of IT is something that is of concern, since even conversations within a country can be picked up and misused by anyone who has the know-how.  Ironically, I have sometimes spoken to someone in America or the Far East by phone and had a far better quality line than when talking to a friend 2 miles away from my home.

i think there are fundamental questions about cost of living and standard of living within the uk...  and therefore cost of wages etc...  which is substantially ignored... why?

Can't remember the source, but seem to recall a discussion on Radio 5 recently which pointed out that we, as Britons, are pricing ourselves out of market after market, because we insist of ever-increasing wages.  Perhaps we need to be investigating in more depth the link between wage demands and pay levels across the board and the reduction, ultimately,  in our standard of living.