Search Legislation

Advanced Search

Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013

Summary and Background

582.These sections reflect the Government’s desire for customers to have electronic access to details of transactions they enter into when buying goods and services, which they can then use to inform future purchasing and consumption behaviours.

583.The Government’s view is that a consumer who can make informed decisions about the goods and services they buy is more likely to seek better quality and value for their money, which in turn can help stimulate competition.

584.Existing legislation, notably the Data Protection Act 1998, gives customers access to their data but in a format to be determined by the provider, which may therefore be hard copy only. This does not allow them easily to use that information to compare prices or interrogate their consumption behaviour.

585.The Government has been working with suppliers in certain sectors to develop a voluntary programme for the release of electronic data to customers. These sections provide a backstop power for the Secretary of State to make regulations (a) requiring regulated persons to supply their customers, on request, with transaction data held in electronic form, and (b) providing an enforcement regime in the case of non-compliance.

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Explanatory Notes

Text created by the government department responsible for the subject matter of the Act to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Public Acts except Appropriation, Consolidated Fund, Finance and Consolidation Acts.

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Impact Assessments

Impact Assessments generally accompany all UK Government interventions of a regulatory nature that affect the private sector, civil society organisations and public services. They apply regardless of whether the regulation originates from a domestic or international source and can accompany primary (Acts etc) and secondary legislation (SIs). An Impact Assessment allows those with an interest in the policy area to understand:

  • Why the government is proposing to intervene;
  • The main options the government is considering, and which one is preferred;
  • How and to what extent new policies may impact on them; and,
  • The estimated costs and benefits of proposed measures.