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Consultations
BIS: A new consultation has been launched to look at banning above cost payment surcharges; a measure the UK will put in place to bring part of the European Union’s Consumer Rights Directive into force. Traders will no longer be able to make a profit by charging the consumer for credit or debit card use above the amount it costs them to process that payment. Consultation closes on 15 October 2012..
FOS: The Financial Ombudsman Service are very keen to work with groups of consumers who – according to research – are less likely to know about their rights to complain and about the free availability of the Financial Ombudsman Service.
FOS would like to hear from you, if you work with a group representing consumers who may be especially disadvantaged by not knowing about the ombudsman. For more information about FOS outreach work with voluntary & consumer groups, please contact their external liaison team.
DH: A consultation on what local authorities should do and who they should involve when considering water fluoridation schemes has been launched. Views are being sought solely on the process by which local authorities carry out consultations and decision-making on new & existing fluoridation proposals – not on the pros or cons of fluoridation itself.
These changes are prompted by the abolition of Strategic Health Authorities, which currently carry out this role, and means local authorities will be given new responsibilities & powers to improve the health of their communities. Consultation closes on 27 November 2012..
Press release ~ Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Consultation on the arrangements for consideration of proposals on the fluoridation of drinking water
EU News: Following the recent manipulation of LIBOR, the Commission has launched a consultation inviting stakeholders to comment on possible new rules for the production & use of indices serving as benchmarks in financial and other contracts. The consultation closes on 15 November 2012..
OFT: The OFT has issued a call for information on the UK petrol & diesel sector. The UK retail road fuels sector is estimated to be worth around £32bn. Petrol prices rose by 38% between June 2007 & June 2012, and diesel prices by 43% over the same period.
The OFT wants to identify whether (or not) there are competition problems that it can tackle in the sector. It is inviting the industry, motoring groups and consumer bodies to submit information. The OFT will be gathering information over the next 6 weeks, and plans to publish its findings in January 2013. Information call ends 17 October 2012.
FSA: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has issued a combined Consultation Paper (CP) & Discussion Paper (DP) that proposes a number of changes to the client money & custody assets regime for firms that undertake investment business. The consultation period closes on 16 October (Part I) & 30 November 2012 (Parts II and III).
ScotGov: The Scottish Government recently published proposals seeking views on lowering the drink driving limit in Scotland. The consultation follows the recent transfer of the power to set the level of the drink drive limit from Westminster to the Scottish Parliament. It seeks views on reducing the existing blood/alcohol limit of 80mg/100ml to 50 mg/100ml and consequential equivalent reductions in the breath & urine limit. Consultation closes on 29 November 2012..
CQC: In a consultation paper on its strategy for 2013-2016 published recently, the Care Quality Commission sets out proposals for what it thinks it should focus on and what the public & others can expect from it. The consultation paper also says that the CQC will improve the way it uses information to help it spot & address poor care faster.
It will also highlight what works well so the people who run health & care services can improve the quality of the care they provide and it will make it easier for people to access & understand its information. The consultation closes on 6 December 2012..
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