Part 1The National Consumer Council

Other functions of the Council

I417Reports by the Council

1

The Council may prepare a report in relation to any matter falling within the scope of its functions.

2

The Council may publish any report prepared under this section.

I518Secretary of State's power to require reports

1

The Secretary of State may direct the Council to prepare, and submit to the Secretary of State within a specified period, a report in respect of any matter specified in the direction which relates to consumer matters.

2

The Secretary of State may publish any report submitted under this section.

I619Advice, information and guidance

1

The Council may issue advice or guidance to any person with a view to improving standards of service and promoting best practice in connection with the handling of complaints made by consumers or any other matter affecting the interests of consumers.

2

The Council may publish advice or information about consumer matters if it appears to the Council that its publication would promote the interests of consumers.

3

For this purpose “information about consumer matters” includes information about the views of consumers on consumer matters.

I120Duty to enter into co-operation arrangements

1

It is the duty of the Council and each designated body to enter into co-operation arrangements under this section.

2

In this section—

  • “co-operation arrangements” means arrangements made by the Council and a designated body with a view to securing co-operation between them, including—

    1. a

      the exchange of information between them,

    2. b

      the co-ordination of any activities they carry on in connection with their functions relating to the provision of advice or information to consumers, and

    3. c

      consistent treatment of matters which affect both of them;

  • “designated body” means—

    1. a

      the Office of Fair Trading;

    2. b

      the Consumer Panel established by the Financial Services Authority under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (c. 8) (“the Financial Services Consumer Panel”);

    3. c

      the Consumer Panel established by the Office of Communications under the Communications Act 2003 (c. 21) (“the OFCOM Consumer Panel”);

    4. d

      a person designated by the Secretary of State by order for the purposes of this section.

3

The co-operation arrangements must set out—

a

in the case of the Financial Services Consumer Panel, the procedure for consulting and making nominations for the purposes of paragraph 1(4)(a) of Schedule 1 to this Act and section 10(5A) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (c. 8);

b

in the case of the OFCOM Consumer Panel, the procedure for consulting and making nominations for the purposes of paragraph 1(4)(b) of Schedule 1 to this Act and section 17(4A) of the Communications Act 2003.

4

As soon as practicable after agreement is reached between the Council and a designated body on co-operation arrangements, the Council and the body must prepare a memorandum setting them out and send a copy of it to the Secretary of State.

5

The Council and a designated body must keep under review any co-operation arrangements entered into by them under this section.

6

As soon as practicable after agreement is reached on any changes to co-operation arrangements, the Council and the designated body to which they relate must revise their memorandum and send a copy of the revised memorandum to the Secretary of State.

7

The Secretary of State must lay a copy of any document received under this section before each House of Parliament.

I721Power to co-operate and give assistance

The Council may make arrangements to co-operate with and give assistance to any person if it considers that to do so would facilitate or be conducive to the exercise of its own functions.

I222Voluntary activities

1

The Council may provide for any person advice or assistance, including research or other services, as respects any matter in which the Council has skill, experience or expertise.

2

The Council may make such charges as it thinks fit in respect of anything done in exercise of its powers under this section.

3

The Council may spend such sums as it considers reasonable in the exploitation of commercial opportunities arising from the activities it carries on in the exercise of its functions.

4

The Council may—

a

establish one or more bodies corporate to exercise on behalf of the Council such of its functions under this section, in such circumstances, as the Council may determine;

b

acquire an interest in an existing body corporate with a view to it exercising on behalf of the Council such of its functions under this section, in such circumstances, as the Council may determine.

5

The Council may acquire an interest in a body corporate under subsection (4)(b) only with the consent of the Secretary of State.

6

If the Secretary of State gives such consent, the Secretary of State must publish a notice stating that consent has been given and specifying the reasons for giving consent.

I323Supplementary powers etc

1

The Council may do anything (other than borrow money) which is calculated to facilitate, or is incidental or conducive to, the exercise of any of its functions.

2

The Council must not acquire or dispose of any interest in land, except with the approval of the Secretary of State.

3

Subsection (2) does not apply to an acquisition of an interest in land under a transfer scheme (within the meaning of section 35).