Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame) SNP

The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-20544, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on the Consumer Scotland Bill at stage 1. 14:52

The Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills (Jamie Hepburn) SNP

I am very pleased to open the stage 1 debate on the Consumer Scotland Bill. Although it is a small bill, it has enormous potential to benefit the people of S...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

I call Gordon Lindhurst, convener of the Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee, to speak on behalf of the committee. 15:04

Gordon Lindhurst (Lothian) (Con) Con

There can be little doubt that consumer spending has a significant impact on the economy. We are all consumers, after all. The late Roger Scruton said that t...

Dean Lockhart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con

I, too, thank the committee clerking team, the witnesses and all those who gave evidence at stage 1 of the bill. The Consumer Scotland Bill is enabling legi...

Jamie Hepburn SNP

Will Dean Lockhart give way?

Dean Lockhart Con

I have a long list here, but time prevents my listing the huge number of potential consumers who could benefit from the bill. If I have time, Presiding Offic...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

The point is so intriguing that I am happy to hear the minister’s response.

Jamie Hepburn SNP

The fundamental point is that we want to create an organisation that is independent and can set its own priorities in looking at the issues of greatest consu...

Dean Lockhart Con

I look forward to that, because a huge number of consumers badly need protection and have been badly let down; the examples that I mentioned are just some of...

Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I will use the time that I have to probe the minister, to try to get some transparency where there is opaqueness and some clarity and substance where there i...

Jamie Hepburn SNP

One of the most obvious and immediate benefits is that, as a statutory entity, consumer Scotland will have powers to demand information from certain organisa...

Richard Leonard Lab

I thank the minister for that response, which was helpful and constructive. However, a question remains to be answered about the potential loss of resources ...

Jamie Hepburn SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Richard Leonard Lab

I will.

Jamie Hepburn SNP

Consumer Scotland will not only be able to do that; as the bill sets out, it will have to do that. The bill places a duty on it to report on any investigatio...

Richard Leonard Lab

The point that I was in the middle of making, though, was about whether it will also be entitled—and, indeed, required—to make recommendations on both primar...

Jamie Hepburn SNP

They are in the bill.

Richard Leonard Lab

We will play a constructive role, but we will not shirk our responsibility to scrutinise the proposals. If the minister believes that that information is all...

Jamie Hepburn SNP

Will the member give way?

Richard Leonard Lab

I will not, as I am concluding my remarks. We will be critics not because we want the new consumer body to fail but precisely because we want it to succeed....

Andy Wightman (Lothian) (Green) Green

I thank the clerks of the Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee, the Scottish Parliament information centre and all those who gave evidence on the bill. I...

Jackie Baillie Lab

He was there.

Andy Wightman Green

We have had important case law since then. Members will be very familiar with the case of Donoghue v Stevenson, which involved a snail and a bottle of ginger...

Jamie Hepburn SNP

Will the member give way?

Andy Wightman Green

Yes.

Jamie Hepburn SNP

I agree with the fundamental premise that Andy Wightman is laying out. However, does he accept that, in setting out that it is about reducing consumer harm, ...

Andy Wightman Green

That is a very fair point. We should not seek to amend the bill in such a way that we risk leaving things out by omission. Any conversations that we have wil...

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD) LD

I am new to the issue, as I do not sit on the Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee, but I have been following the bill with interest. I echo the thanks of...

Gordon MacDonald (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) SNP

Since the abolition of the Scottish Consumer Council in October 2008 by the then Labour Government, there has been no dedicated Scottish body with responsibi...