Baroness Wilcox: My Lords, I am grateful to be allowed to speak in the gap because it gives me an opportunity to say that I am now back in the consumer world, having just taken on once again the presidency of the National Consumer Federation. Some 10 years on, I am listening to very similar things. It has been marvellous to see the noble Lord, Lord Bird, stand up and speak in words that he would say are not...
Baroness Wilcox: My Lords, it is wonderful for me to be the only girl so far to say something which, I hope, will make a contribution to the debate. There is another girl on the other side of the House who will be closing for the Liberal Democrats and I have no doubt that she will contribute too. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Burnett. I have read his CV: it is quite extraordinary. He seems to have been...
Baroness Wilcox: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in encouraging the private rental sector to increase housing supply.
Baroness Wilcox: I thank my noble friend for his short reply; it is very helpful. Have the Government any plans to extend the tenancy length before stamp duty land tax is charged, and what are they doing to ensure that local authorities and people in general are aware of the new changes that are coming? I have only recently visited some of these things that are being built and the people who are moving in. It...
Baroness Wilcox: My Lords, it was 14 years ago last month that the Lords passed an amendment to the Civil Partnership Bill, which was then going through Parliament, to extend its scope so that adult family members who lived together permanently could come within it. I supported the amendment at that time but it was of course overturned in the Commons. Looking back, I have all the paper from that time—there...
Baroness Wilcox: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of Brexit on the rights of consumers who purchase goods from retailers or manufacturers based in the European Union.
Baroness Wilcox: My Lords, I beg leave the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper. In doing so, I draw attention to my interests as set out in the register.
Baroness Wilcox: I thank my noble friend the Minister for his response, short though it was. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute runs a centre called the UK consumer centre network, which assists consumers in cross-border disputes with EU traders. Since it was formed just 11 years ago, it has handled more than 100,000 cases. The UK centre is currently co-funded by the UK Government and the European...
Baroness Wilcox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure the long-term protection of UK consumers after their financial support for the UK European Consumer Centre ends in March 2020.
Baroness Wilcox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they to ensure that cross-border consumer protection data to inform national and international enforcement continues once funding for the UK European Consumer Centre ends in March 2020.
Baroness Wilcox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to replace the UK European Consumer Centre’s role in sharing intelligence within the European enforcement network after March 2020, to ensure that cross-border criminal breaches and so-called "problem" traders are identified and dealt with appropriately.
Baroness Wilcox: My Lords, follow that. It will not be easy. However, I hope that I have a couple of lines, which might cheer you up, on how one gets one’s husband up there. I learned a great deal when I was Minister for Business and Intellectual Property. I thought it was going to be stiff and difficult but the intellectual property part proved to be marvellous. I learned a great deal from the theatre and...
Baroness Wilcox: I should refer to my entry on the system before I admit that I have something to do with consumers. I want to congratulate the Minister on having had the courage even to get suppliers started on the rollout of smart meters. I would be interested to learn whether he has helped them in any way so far and, if so, whether he will do more.
Baroness Wilcox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in eliminating Japanese knotweed.
Baroness Wilcox: My Lords, I have been sitting here and listening for a long time. I have worked with these people and know their stories really well. We are also very passionate. We do not expect the English to get upset and worried—to love their boats, to want to bring in their youngsters, teach them properly and bring them forward. I tried to look back and see what things stuck out for me. A lobster...