From the chief executive Government weakens consumer voice Leon Livermore Chief executive While CTSI welcomes and is eager to work with all new ministers, its hugely disappointing that the consumer ministers portfolio has been further reduced to a small role within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Instead of having a minister committed to consumer issues, the new role is part of a portfolio that also includes retail, construction, rail, trade union and employment law and, nally, consumer and competition policy. So new minister Nick Boles will not only have to look after a BIS portfolio of seven responsibilities, including consumer issues, he must also manage a Department for Education (DfE) portfolio that includes raising the participation age, plus international education, and a joint BIS/DfE role that includes a further eight items. Thats 17 major issues no small task for a single minister, who cant expect to focus on consumer issues, let alone be a consumer himself. CTSIs concern is that a further diluting and diminishing of the role of consumer protection within this portfolio will not only increase consumer detriment, but also places an added strain on local government, already struggling to manage issues related to consumer protection, health, environment and commerce. In the last week alone, headlines throughout the UK have been ooded with stories about childrens Halloween costumes going up in ames and dangerous counterfeit cosmetic products. Product safety and intellectual property are just two of more than 250 pieces of legislation enforced by trading standards ofcers, each designed to protect consumers and legitimate businesses. For more than two years, CTSI, Which? and other consumer advocates have called for more support for consumer protection and a consumer voice in the cabinet. How many childrens costumes must catch alight; how many vulnerable people must be scammed; how much greater a hold must organised crime which prots from counterfeit goods and undercuts legitimate businesses have on communities before the government listens and appoints a minister specically dedicated to consumer rights issues? It is incredibly disappointing that instead of taking this opportunity to make consumer rights issues a priority, the government has decided to further weaken its voice. We again call on government to consider a strategic review of consumer protection in the UK. This is a conversation that isnt going to go away. Nowhere is this more evident than in Liverpool, where following a judicial review, Liverpool City Council agreed to scrutinise the way its trading standards service is structured. While this local appraisal is a start, we must now commit to a national strategic review of consumer protection.