Archive for the ‘Consumer matters’ Category
Farewell to the NCC
September 9th, 2008 by Roger Darlington
Today the National Consumer Council – which was created by a Labour Government in 1975 – had its last Council meeting and a farewell reception for stakeholders. On 1 October, the NCC will merge with Energywatch and Postwatch to form a new stronger consumer body called Consumer Focus. I am currently on the Council of […]
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Combatting fuel poverty
September 9th, 2008 by Roger Darlington
This week, 12 organisations – including Energywatch which is about to go into Consumer Focus (of which I am a Board member) – have published a 10-point charter for overcoming fuel poverty in the UK. Fuel poverty has become a national disaster – five million households in the UK won’t be able to afford to […]
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Damn that scam
September 8th, 2008 by Roger Darlington
Can you believe it? About 3 million Britons are being cheated of £3.5 billion a year by fraudsters who solicit money by letter, email, text and telephone, the Office of Fair Trading states today. Fewer than one in 20 victims report their experience, but trading watchdogs hope to help consumers fight back after a survey […]
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Rating your doctor
July 13th, 2008 by Roger Darlington
A new British web site opens today which enables all citizens to rate their doctors and comment on the treatment received. The site is called “I want great care”. As this article explains, the initiative is controversial with doctors who fear unfair or even libellous comments. In principle, I’m in favour of any scheme which […]
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The rise in consumer power
June 4th, 2008 by Roger Darlington
Today I gave my first speech in my new capacity of Board member of the New National Consumer Council. The event was an conference organised by the Office of Fair Trading to mark the fifth anniversary of the coming into force of the Enterprise Act 2002. I’ve reproduced below the text of the remarks I […]
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