---

Consumer Rights

I accept in principle the point that the hon. Gentleman makes. We want to take action to increase our capacity to crack down on rogues—be they loan sharks, those perpetuating scams or those operating on the internet. I referred to our additional investment in scambuster teams, which are beginning to make a difference regionally. We have also established regional illegal moneylending teams to target those who are often vicious thugs who operate as loan sharks and target the most vulnerable members of our communities. Those teams have had considerable success in bringing loan sharks to justice. They not only take victims' harassers to court and prosecute them, but direct victims to more affordable credit, be it in the form of credit unions, social fund grants or loans, or support from debt advice charities. We have been aiming at a holistic response to people's needs. The marketplace in which consumers operate has been changing steadily as a result of globalisation, and the hon. Member for Cotswold alluded to additional work done in the United States. We recognise the need to update and modernise our consumer law and enforcement regime to reflect the internet era. With that in mind, over the past 18 months, my officials, at my request, have been reviewing the relevant consumer law with a view to introducing a series of reforms. In particular, we recognise the need to improve internet enforcement. Many of the issues discussed today will be reflected in the consumer White Paper, to which my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, North and Leith alluded, and we are busy working on those, although hon. Members will forgive me if I do not reveal the full contents of the White Paper at this stage.