Written question asked by Nigel Evans (Conservative) on Friday, 21 March 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 27 March 2003. It was answered by Melanie Johnson (Labour) on Thursday, 27 March 2003 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps she is taking to protect consumers from the activities of rogue traders.

Answer: Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to protect consumers from the activities of rogue traders. [105092] Miss Melanie Johnson: In June 2001 the Government introduced Stop Now Orders, giving Trading Standards departments and other named bodies the power to seek injunctions against traders who do not comply with a range of legislation intended to safeguard the interests of consumers. Through the Enterprise Act 2002, the Government will enable the OFT, Trading Standards and other designated enforcers to obtain `Stop Now Orders' against a wider range of illegal activities which harm the interests of consumers. It is our intention to commence these and other key provisions of the Act in the summer. In addition, we launched an awareness campaign last year to highlight the risks and warning signs associated with postal scams and explain how consumers can avoid becoming scam victims. Consumers were encouraged to send suspect mailings to the Office of Fair Trading for investigation.

Secondary information