Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of backdating the new private parking code of practice to 7 February 2022.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Government is taking action to improve the regulation of the private parking industry and is committed to working with both consumer and industry groups to ensure the code comes into effect as quickly as possible. The Government has no plans to back date the code to 7 February 2022.
The Code will ensure the best possible protection for motorists and parking companies alike, for this reason it will require a need for a grace period to be in place at the end of a permitted parking period.
The Government is aware of the concerns being raised regarding the existing appeals services. Alongside the introduction of the new Private Parking Code of Practice, the Government will be establishing a new, second stage appeals service which is straightforward to use and accessible to all. We will monitor the effectiveness of the new service and take action to make improvements where necessary.
Additionally, operator staff will be required to undergo relevant training.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what his planned timetable is for publishing a new private parking code of practice.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Government is taking action to improve the regulation of the private parking industry and is committed to working with both consumer and industry groups to ensure the code comes into effect as quickly as possible. The Government has no plans to back date the code to 7 February 2022.
The Code will ensure the best possible protection for motorists and parking companies alike, for this reason it will require a need for a grace period to be in place at the end of a permitted parking period.
The Government is aware of the concerns being raised regarding the existing appeals services. Alongside the introduction of the new Private Parking Code of Practice, the Government will be establishing a new, second stage appeals service which is straightforward to use and accessible to all. We will monitor the effectiveness of the new service and take action to make improvements where necessary.
Additionally, operator staff will be required to undergo relevant training.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will have discussions with representatives of Apple on potential steps to tackle fraud relating to Apple Gift cards.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
Government is committed to tackling online fraud and holding those who profit from it to account by working closely with industry, regulators and consumer groups to consider legislative and non-legislative solutions.
This includes continuing work on digital identity and data protection and work with the telecommunications and other sectors to target harden systems and design out key online vulnerabilities.
We have launched Stop! Think Fraud, a new campaign led by the Home Office in collaboration with many organisations across government, law enforcement, banking, tech firms, and charities to give people the tools and information they need to stay ahead of scams, and help protect themselves against fraud.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take steps to tackle fraud using gift cards.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
Government is committed to tackling online fraud and holding those who profit from it to account by working closely with industry, regulators and consumer groups to consider legislative and non-legislative solutions.
This includes continuing work on digital identity and data protection and work with the telecommunications and other sectors to target harden systems and design out key online vulnerabilities.
We have launched Stop! Think Fraud, a new campaign led by the Home Office in collaboration with many organisations across government, law enforcement, banking, tech firms, and charities to give people the tools and information they need to stay ahead of scams, and help protect themselves against fraud.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when she plans to bring Part 8, Chapter 1 of the Energy Act 2023 into force.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department consulted on heat network consumer protection requirements in 2023 and will respond to the consultation shortly. Heat network regulation will be introduced in three phases:
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of consumer protection regulation for individuals submitting tax rebate applications to HMRC through accounting companies.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to maintaining trust in the tax system and working with taxpayers to help them get their tax right. However, the Government is aware that some taxpayers face issues and feel misled when using companies that specialise in claiming tax refunds from HMRC.
The Government is working with regulators and other key partners to ensure that the current legal framework is robust in prohibiting harmful business practices to consumer contracts. This includes introducing expectations of transparency in the HMRC Standard for Agents, updated in January 2023, to ensure customers are made aware of the agent’s fees and charging structure.
There are many ways in which a customer can authorise a third party to act on their behalf. HMRC is also developing options for a more modern and secure approach to agent authorisation.
HMRC continues to monitor tax agents and challenge them when there are potential concerns about their practices. HMRC then takes action by either issuing penalties, suspending claims or refusing to deal with an agent, and wherever necessary working with the Police to support their investigations.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will conduct a review into the regulation of (a) sales of caravans and (b) management fees at static caravan sites.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Caravan park owners and operators are subject to consumer protection legislation in the same way as any other business which has dealings with consumers.
For example, under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA), goods purchased (including caravans) have to be as described, of a satisfactory quality, and fit for a particular purpose.
The CRA also protects consumers from unfair contractual terms being applied by traders such as park operators.
We are further strengthening the enforcement of this framework in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill. Therefore, the Government has no plans to further regulate the sales of caravans.
Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to help protect consumers from being mis-sold timeshare arrangements.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Timeshare, Holiday Products, Resale and Exchange Contracts Regulations 2010, as amended in 2018, provide consumers with robust protections relating to the sale, marketing and content of timeshare contracts. We keep the system under review and engage with industry representatives as appropriate.
Furthermore, the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (2008), which prohibit unfair commercial practices, are being restated in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill, currently in Parliament. Unfair commercial practices include misleading actions and omissions which are likely to persuade consumers into taking decisions they otherwise would not have.
Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions his Department has had with industry stakeholders on tackling (a) misrepresentation and (b) aggressive sales of holiday timeshares.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Timeshare, Holiday Products, Resale and Exchange Contracts Regulations 2010, as amended in 2018, provide consumers with robust protections relating to the sale, marketing and content of timeshare contracts. We keep the system under review and engage with industry representatives as appropriate.
Furthermore, the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (2008), which prohibit unfair commercial practices, are being restated in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill, currently in Parliament. Unfair commercial practices include misleading actions and omissions which are likely to persuade consumers into taking decisions they otherwise would not have.
Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent consumers being mis-sold timeshare agreements.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Timeshare, Holiday Products, Resale and Exchange Contracts Regulations 2010, as amended in 2018, provide consumers with robust protections relating to the sale, marketing and content of timeshare contracts. We keep the system under review and engage with industry representatives as appropriate.
Furthermore, the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (2008), which prohibit unfair commercial practices, are being restated in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill, currently in Parliament. Unfair commercial practices include misleading actions and omissions which are likely to persuade consumers into taking decisions they otherwise would not have.