Nuisance calls -HM Government the worst offender

I live in a big house. The telephone rings and -often as not - I am the best part of 40 yards away. I run for it -I don't want to miss out on a good invitation -or -perhaps an editor wanting me to write a piece. I pick up the receiver- there is a short pause- then a disembodied female voice starts to say : "We are calling you to tell you about a new government .." I scream down the telephone, but it is no good as this, of course, is a recorded voice.

How do I stop these nuisance calls from the government? Why can't they just write a letter like they used too? One day -inevitably - as I rush to pick up the telephone - I will trip over the dog or have a seizure. There must surely be a way to silence this ghastly woman and her message, if anybody knows how too please let me know before I do myself and injury.