Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, on how many occasions has the Groceries Code Adjudicator imposed the maximum fine on a retailer for non-compliance since 2013.
Answered by Justin Madders
Since 2013 the Groceries Code Adjudicator has not imposed a fine on a retailer for non-compliance.
The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) has a number of levers to deal with non-compliance and resolve disputes. Following an investigation into a regulated retailer which has breached the Code, the Adjudicator can issue recommendations against a retailer, require retailers to publish details of a breach or fine retailers up to 1% of their annual turnover.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many staff work for the Groceries Code Adjudicator; and whether any of those staff are seconded from other Departments.
Answered by Justin Madders
The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) is funded by a levy on the fourteen regulated retailers covered by the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. It does not employ its own staff but may make arrangements for staff to be seconded from any other public authority. There are currently five employees from the Department for Business and Trade and four employees from other Departments that are seconded to the GCA.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what regulatory mechanisms are in place to help consumers verify the legitimacy of communications from (a) banks, (b) energy providers and (c) telecommunications companies to help prevent scams.
Answered by Justin Madders
Although the Department of Business and Trade does not directly regulate these sectors, Companies House and the Insolvency Service supply data on UK registered companies to assist law enforcement targeting online fraud and other economic crimes. Furthermore, through the Consumer Protection Partnership, we raise awareness about how to spot, avoid and report scams.
Across Government, the Home Office works with Ofcom to prevent phone number ‘spoofing’, which is the practice of scammers impersonating UK phone numbers to trick people into thinking they are speaking to legitimate businesses.