"Absolutely. Morally, it is incumbent on anyone who comes across evidence of appalling crimes, such as human trafficking, to ensure that it is presented to the appropriate authorities so that they can take action.
Even without fines, there are financial consequences for retailers who breach the code. There may be …..." Jo Swinson - View Speech
"If the hon. Gentleman will forgive me, I will make a little progress, because he has already intervened.
It benefits no one to reach straight for fines before we have exhausted the other options. We seek to impose a proportionate and effective solution. A move straight to fines would risk …..." Jo Swinson - View Speech
"I hope that the hon. Lady will understand that I am not going to give an exhaustive list. If the groceries code adjudicator felt that the remedies were not sufficient and were not being adhered to and if there were repeated breaches or if the recommendations made by the adjudicator …..." Jo Swinson - View Speech
"It was a man in a dog suit, rather than an actual dog. The event was organised by Traidcraft, ActionAid and War on Want to highlight their message that they want the groceries code adjudicator to be a watchdog with teeth. To further press the point, they left me with …..." Jo Swinson - View Speech
"I am coming to a conclusion, so I hope the hon. Gentleman will understand it if I do not give way.
I greatly value the role that campaigners up and down the country have played to ensure that pressure was kept up to deliver a groceries code adjudicator. I particularly …..." Jo Swinson - View Speech
"Clause 4 makes it clear that the adjudicator can conduct an investigation
“if the Adjudicator has reasonable grounds to suspect that…the retailer has broken the Code”.
Obviously that could result from a specific complaint made by a supplier, but the adjudicator might become aware of the existence of reasonable grounds …..." Jo Swinson - View Speech
"Let me clarify to the House that the adjudicator will look at breaches of the code from when it comes into force. It may investigate evidence of problems that have been ongoing, but if a breach stopped before the adjudicator was established, it would not be able to impose sanctions. …..." Jo Swinson - View Speech
"One key point the supermarkets have put to me was that there were no appeal powers for them in the Bill. Not going ahead with fines from day one means that we avoid the problem of miring the groceries code adjudicator in appeal processes. That is one reason why seeing …..." Jo Swinson - View Speech
"The retailers argued for a proper appeals process. The challenge I outlined was that the adjudicator could end up running around in circles dealing with appeal after appeal rather than getting on with the important job of carrying out more investigations, which is what we want. Without the power to …..." Jo Swinson - View Speech