Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that non-approved, sub-standard or fake safety products are not sold or passed on to the consumer.
Answered by Nick Boles
Product safety legislation is in place to protect consumers, and is enforced by Trading Standards, who also enforce prohibitions against giving false information about products under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. Where safety products bear a false trade mark, or deliberately copy a registered design, Trading Standards also have the ability to take enforcement action under intellectual property legislation.
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 sets out the standards consumers can expect of the goods they obtain from traders and remedies if these rights are breached. The standards include the need for goods to be of satisfactory quality (including being fit for the purposes for which goods of that kind are usually supplied, being safe, and matching any description the goods were sold under), fit for a particular purpose (if that purpose was made known before sale), and as described . If these requirements are breached, consumers are entitled to reject the goods (if in the first 30 days), or require the trader to repair or replace the goods.
Consumers can seek advice from the helpline run by Citizen’s Advice which offers a free service advising them on their rights and passes on details of complaints to Trading Standards where appropriate.
Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what representations she has received on accusations of mis-selling by Home Energy and Lifestyle Management.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom
It is not appropriate for me to comment on specific allegations against individual firms. However, I can confirm that in November 2015, acting on information passed to DECC by the Green Deal Ombudsman, I imposed a financial penalty against Home Energy and Lifestyle Management for breaches of the Green Deal Code of Practice related to mis-selling of credit agreements, the obligation under the Code of Practice to act honestly and fairly towards consumers, and the obligation to encourage consumers to obtain alternative quotes. Companies participating in various DECC schemes are expected to adhere to high standards including, where appropriate, those laid out in the Green Deal Code of Practice and the requirements of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme. For firms that are authorised Green Deal Providers, consumers may complain to the Green Deal Ombudsman (where the firm is unable to resolve their complaint), and the Green Deal Oversight and Registration Body also monitor issues raised involving authorised participants. DECC Officials also work closely with other regulators with an interest in firms working under DECC schemes.
In the summer of 2015, I established the Every Home Matters review, which contains a strong focus on consumers, and I look forward to receiving the recommendations from this in the coming months.
Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which universities have (a) introduced and (b) committed to introduce degree apprenticeships since September 2015; how many such degree apprenticeships each such university has introduced since September 2015; and in which industries those degree apprenticeships have been in.
Answered by Nick Boles
We will not have final numbers until after the academic year in question, however Individualised Learner Record (ILR) data for August to October 2015 (reported to date and rounded to the nearest 10) show that two universities – Sheffield Hallam University and University of Northumbria at Newcastle – have reported Level 6 apprenticeship standards starts. Sheffield Hallam University has 10 Level 6 apprenticeship standards starts in the management and leadership discipline, and University of Northumbria at Newcastle has 20 Level 6 apprenticeship standard starts in the digital industry.
A further 19 universities have committed to the introduction of higher and degree apprenticeships since September 2015.