HC Deb 31 January 2003 vol 398 c1059W
Mr. Hunter

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will take measures to establish an independent regulator of estate agents; and if she will make a statement. [94055]

Miss Melanie Johnson

The conduct of estate agents is independently regulated by the Director General of Fair Trading, who has powers under the Estate Agents Act 1979 to ban persons he considers unfit to carry out estate agency work.

The Office of Fair Trading is currently investigating the market for estate agents in England and Wales, including the effectiveness of the Act. I will consider carefully any recommendations the Director General of Fair Trading makes about future regulation of this market.