To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform in relation to which sectors the new National Consumer Council will pursue complaints from consumers. (180383)

The Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007 provides for:

a single point of contact for consumers across all markets (Consumer Direct) to obtain information and impartial advice;

the extension of new redress schemes to all energy complaints and the postal services sector to resolve complaints where service providers have been unable to do so;

the consolidation of sectoral consumer bodies to form one stronger body (new National Consumer Council) to represent the interests of consumers across all markets and to provide information and advice on the consumer perspective to business, to Government, and to the sectoral regulators.

The legislation provides for the new NCC to have the power to assist vulnerable consumers in the gas, electricity and postal services sectors with their complaints.