The Future for Consumer Protection Enforcement

Confirmed Speakers Include:

• John Madill, Assistant Director - Consumer Rights, BIS
• Ron Gainsford, Chief Executive, TSI
• Wendy Martin, Director of Policy, ACTSO
• Guy Pratt, Chairman, ACTSO & Assistant Director Community Protection, Hertfordshire County Council
• Sarah Smith, Deputy Chief Executive, LBRO
• Roger King, Director, Safer & Stronger Solutions (chair)

The Context:

The recent Empowering and Protecting Consumers consultation proposes significant changes to the consumer protection landscape. The Government plans to merge existing competition functions into a new ‘Competition and Markets Authority’ and introduce new structures to improve trading standards’ enforcement response. It also proposes the creation of a new ‘Trading Standards Policy Board’ to “provide leadership and coordination of Trading Standards in identifying and tackling regional and national threats”.

Key issues to be addressed at this Policy and Practice Briefing include:

• What will the consumer protection landscape look like in the future?
• What decisions have already been taken?
• What decisions are set to be made?
• What is the role of the proposed Trading Standards Policy Board in the new framework?
• Where does the TSI fit in?
• What would it mean for Trading Standards to become a commissioned service, as per the Open Public Services White Paper?
• What areas might Primary Authority be extended in to?

The Event:

The morning policy session will focus on the Government’s view as to how consumer protection enforcement should be structured in the future. The afternoon policy into practice session will examine current and future trends from the perspective of those involved at the local level.

Who Should Attend?

Delegates will be drawn from all those with a working interest in consumer protection, including dedicated trading standard teams, regulators, environmental health teams, elected members, barristers and the legal profession, consumer and business groups and central government departments.