How Trading Standards, the police and other agencies are tackling "dodgy shops"

How Trading Standards, the police and other agencies are tackling "dodgy shops"

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether CTSI has discretion to (a) reduce, (b) waive and (c) scale accreditation and periodic fees for (i) small, (ii) low-volume and (iii) scheme-specific ADR providers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether CTSI has discretion to (a) reduce, (b) waive and (c) scale accreditation and periodic fees for (i) small, (ii) low-volume and (iii) scheme-specific ADR providers.

Letter dated 04/03/2026 from Lord Stockwood to Peers regarding the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Conferral of Functions) Regulations 2026 and The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026 debate: publicising Alternative Dispute Resolution and the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, and costs for ADR providers. 2p.

Letter dated 04/03/2026 from Lord Stockwood to Peers regarding the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Conferral of Functions) Regulations 2026 and The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026 debate: publicising Alternative Dispute Resolution and the Chartered Trading...

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

My Lords, I will speak also to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026.

These instruments relate to the alternative dispute resolution, or ADR, chapter in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024—the Act—which received Royal Assent in May 2024. The Act...

My Lords, I will speak also to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026.

These instruments relate to the alternative dispute resolution, or ADR, chapter in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024—the Act—which received Royal Assent in May 2024. The Act...

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for introducing the statutory instruments. This is not a very complicated issue and I do not have much to say about it, but I do have one or two questions.

First, this emerged from the digital markets Bill, which I was happy...

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for introducing the statutory instruments. This is not a very complicated issue and I do not have much to say about it, but I do have one or two questions.

First, this emerged from the digital markets Bill, which I was happy...

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for his introduction, which was very clear, and to the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson, who asked some of the questions I was going to ask, which is good. I too worked on the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. It seems...

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for his introduction, which was very clear, and to the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson, who asked some of the questions I was going to ask, which is good. I too worked on the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. It seems...

My Lords, I was not involved in the 2024 Act, so—to no doubt universal relief—I shall be very brief. As the Minister explained, the statutory instruments implement Chapter 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, by replacing the voluntary accreditation system for alternative dispute resolution providers with...

My Lords, I was not involved in the 2024 Act, so—to no doubt universal relief—I shall be very brief. As the Minister explained, the statutory instruments implement Chapter 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, by replacing the voluntary accreditation system for alternative dispute resolution providers with...

It is carved in stone.

It is carved in stone.

Paper is not that durable in fire or water, so are we talking stone tablets, or vellum, perhaps? I am very curious to know the answer to the question from the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson.

Obviously, alternative dispute resolution plays an important role in enabling consumers to resolve disputes quickly and...

Paper is not that durable in fire or water, so are we talking stone tablets, or vellum, perhaps? I am very curious to know the answer to the question from the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson.

Obviously, alternative dispute resolution plays an important role in enabling consumers to resolve disputes quickly and...

I thank noble Lords for their contributions to the debate. As I stated in opening, the purpose of these instruments is to place the UK’s ADR framework on a stronger footing and to provide a more effective service for consumers and businesses alike. This feeds into the broader work of...

I thank noble Lords for their contributions to the debate. As I stated in opening, the purpose of these instruments is to place the UK’s ADR framework on a stronger footing and to provide a more effective service for consumers and businesses alike. This feeds into the broader work of...

Before the Minister sits down, perhaps he could take this away: simply putting something up on the website—the “If we build it, they will come” approach—is probably not the best way for consumers to know that they have this service. You have to know it exists before you can find...

Before the Minister sits down, perhaps he could take this away: simply putting something up on the website—the “If we build it, they will come” approach—is probably not the best way for consumers to know that they have this service. You have to know it exists before you can find...

The noble Lord makes a really important point. Let me take that away and consult with the team and I will come back to him with a response on that.

The noble Lord makes a really important point. Let me take that away and consult with the team and I will come back to him with a response on that.

The Minister answered very fully the question about the fees and how they would be monitored, but those were the fees to the consumers. I asked a separate question about why it did not seem to be a cost to the provider of the services, who would also benefit from...

The Minister answered very fully the question about the fees and how they would be monitored, but those were the fees to the consumers. I asked a separate question about why it did not seem to be a cost to the provider of the services, who would also benefit from...

I think I did cover that but, if I did not, I will come back. The accredited providers will charge only a fee that is agreed already with the CTSI. That will be agreed up front and that will be published so that consumers know the charges they will be...

I think I did cover that but, if I did not, I will come back. The accredited providers will charge only a fee that is agreed already with the CTSI. That will be agreed up front and that will be published so that consumers know the charges they will be...

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what meetings they have held with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute with regard to Brexit over the past six months, particularly in respect of their undertaking to "continue to engage with...consumer organisations", as set out in their position paper published in August, Continuity in the availability of goods for...

To ask Her Majesty's Government what meetings they have held with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute with regard to Brexit over the past six months, particularly in respect of their undertaking to "continue to engage with...consumer organisations", as set out in their position paper published in August, Continuity in the availability of goods for...