, "11":"TSI HAS ITS SAY Click each image for more content A selection of the institutes contributions to government policy debate Pet Travel: changes to the EU Scheme Rebalancing Atol: a fair nancial protection scheme Pet Travel: changes to the EU Scheme consultation Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) September 2014 As theres no current statutory obligation for information required when entering an animal into a show or exhibition, validation checks need to be undertaken to ensure movements accord with legislation. TSI recommends that the registration information proposed in the consultation should be presented on headed paper from the trust arranging the event, along with a 24-hour contact number for verification that the move is legitimate. Travellers wishing to use the exemption to travel with more than five pets must give details of their planned return journey with their animals, after the show/s or exhibition/s. TSI has no objection to non-veterinarians implanting microchips in pet animals, subject to appropriate registration and training of staff. For enforcement purposes, a central register of suitably trained personnel should be held to assist in enforcement of the legislation, and to ensure that animal welfare is not compromised. For enforcement purposes, a central register of veterinary officers authorised to issue pet passports should also be held. Considerable local authority resource is currently being used to enforce pet travel rules for young animals (particularly puppies) being imported into the UK from Europe, and TSI supports the view that any derogation allowing UK entry for young, unvaccinated animals would make such enforcement unmanageable. Where there is non-compliance with importation rules, TSI believes any relaxation of the present rule (up to six months quarantine) must be based on veterinary risk assessment. Where this is satisfied, the period of quarantine ought to be reduced where certified veterinary risk assessment allows. Pet travel legislation adoption of a consistent 12week minimum age for vaccination of young animals will be a benefit. As more animals under 15 weeks old are likely to be imported into the UK, with false age information on accompanying passports for commercial benefit, TSI calls for detailed government-produced guidance on typical weight and size of certain breeds especially dogs to aid decision-making on whether an animal ought to be quarantined if there is concern over its age. Once finalised, a single piece of consolidated legislation should help avoid further amendments to the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974. Lead officers: Animal health and welfare team For more details, and to contribute to consultations such as these, visit www.tradingstandards.gov.uk Credits Published You might also like: Lakeview Images / tr3gin / Shutterstock Tuesday 6 January, 2015 Consultations December 2014 To share this page, click on in the toolbar Rebalancing Atol: consultation on proposals to ensure a fair and proportionate nancial protection scheme Civil Aviation Authority, October 2014 Local authority trading standards services are the enforcement bodies responsible for the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992, and TSI has a proactive role advising small businesses in the interests of consumers. In response to specific questions: l On whether the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) should end the small business Atols (SBA) arrangements, given the reasons stated and availability of alternatives a recent analysis revealed SBAs represented a disproportionate number of failures and cost to the Air Travel Trust fund, which will refund consumers if their chosen holiday provider fails, where a ight is included. The analysis also found that, unlike full Atol holders, SBAs were not required to provide any financial information. So, despite evidence of a problem in the analysis, TSI questions whether a regulatory regime approach could benefit consumers in the long run, and calls for a better solution than removing SBAs. In other industries the level of bonding would normally be reected in the risk of the companys operation. As the protection system may be altered when the new Package Travel Directive (PTD) is implemented possibly three years ahead the suggested reforms may need to be revisited then to ensure compliance with the new Directive. l On whether the CAA should develop and implement a more sophisticated financial test for Atol holders licensed for less than 5m, with a three-year transition to the enhanced assessment TSI would want any proposed measures to benefit not only consumers, ensuring transparency, but also small businesses. The proposals in this consultation offer very limited options for this type of firm. l On whether the CAA should make it a requirement that accountants reporting on Atol regulatory information must be licensed practitioners TSI is concerned that potential increased costs and diminished choice would be detrimental to both small businesses andconsumers. l On whether the CAA should introduce an online, self-service facility by which Atol holders will be able to submit financial reporting, as part of a wider move towards online applications TSI agrees online technology use would be beneficial, as long as adequate training is provided, the system is not too complicated, and it can incorporate the issuing of Atol certificates. Lead officer: Bruce Treloar For more details, and to contribute to consultations such as these, visit www.tradingstandards.gov.uk "