Clause 32 - Winding-up of standard licensee’s business
Consumer Credit Bill
Public Bill Committees, 28 June 2005, 11:30 am
Amendment made: No. 26, in clause 32, page 26, line 17, at end insert—
‘()Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (c) of subsection (3), a requirement specified under that paragraph may have the effect of—
(a)preventing a named person from being an employee of a person carrying on activities under the authorisation, or restricting the activities he may engage in as an employee of such a person; or
(b)preventing a named person from doing something, or restricting his doing something, in connection with activities being carried on by a person under the authorisation;
(c)securing that access to premises is given to officers of the OFT for the purpose of enabling them to inspect documents or to observe the carrying on of activities.’. —[Mr. Sutcliffe.]
Charles Hendry (Shadow Minister, Trade & Industry; Wealden, Conservative)
I would be grateful to the Minister for a small clarification. Would access to premises be gained directly by officers of the OFT or by the local trading standards services acting on behalf of the OFT? If it is the trading standards department, that will impose an additional burden on its work load, which brings us back to who pays for that and whether the trading standards department will be reimbursed for such activities, or will it have to make the money up by cutting back in other areas.
Gerry Sutcliffe (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs), Department of Trade and Industry; Bradford South, Labour)
As I understand it, officers acting on behalf of the OFT could be trading standards officers, but the cost would not be transferred to the local authority. It would be borne by the OFT.