§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all those statutory bodies which1050W must, within their statutory remit, protect the interests of consumers.
§ Mr. Ian Taylor[holding answer 16 December 1994]: The following statutory bodies have a general responsibility for the interests of consumers, or classes of consumers, of the industries which they shadow:
Domestic Coal Consumers Council—section 4 of the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946;Post Office Users National Council and the Country Councils for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland—section 14 of the Post Office Act 1969;Advisory committees on telecommunications for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and the advisory bodies on telecommunications matters affecting small businesses, and persons who are disabled or of pensionable age—section 54 of the Telecommunications Act 1984;Gas Consumers Council—section 2 of the Gas Act 1986;Central Rail Users Consultative Committee and eight rail users consultative committees—section 77 of the Railways Act 1993; London regional passengers committee—section 40 of the London Regional Transport Act 1984.In addition, the Director General of Fair Trading; the Director General of Telecommunications; the Director General of Gas Supply; the Director General of Electricity Supply; the Director General of Water Services; and the Rail Regulator have specific responsibility for promoting and/or protecting the interests of consumers/customers. The Director General for Electricity Supply is required to appoint consumers' committees and the Director General of Water Services to appoint customer services committees.