§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what(a) accreditation and (b) regulatory measures are in place to protect the general public, with particular reference to vulnerable groups, from unscrupulous tradesmen. [121666]
§ Mr. SutcliffeThere is a sizeable body of law, which gives consumers protection in respect to both civil and criminal matters. Within this framework, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and Trading Standards services enforce a wide range of legislation aimed at protecting all consumers. Some of this legislation is directed at practices more likely to affect vulnerable consumers. Through the Enterprise Act we have strengthened the enforcement of consumer protection legislation by making it possible for enforcers to seek a Stop Now Order against a trader acting unlawfully in respect of a wide range of legislative infringements, which harm the collective interests of consumers. These provisions came into force on 20 June 2003.
The Enterprise Act empowers the OFT to formally approve and promote voluntary codes of practice that meet its challenging core criteria and, if necessary, withdraw that approval publicly if a code is found to be not operating satisfactorily. The aim of the new scheme is to promote and safeguard consumers' interests by helping them identify better businesses and to encourage businesses to raise their standards of customer service.