iSToCk.Com / SCyThEr5 Noticeboard Consultation on package holidays responses welcome Last month, consumer minister Margot James launched a consultation on the Package Travel Regulations. The consultation sets out proposals for new consumer rights around package holidays, including: An extension to current protections to cover the millions of UK holidaymakers who buy package holidays online A requirement for better information to be available to travellers at the point of booking, making it clear what their rights to refund are Ensuring the business that puts the package together is responsible for the entire holiday even if some elements will be fulfilled by third parties Enhanced regulations will better protect an extra 10 million UK package holidays booked online, ensuring these travellers enjoy the same rights as those who book with a traditional travel agent. The government is encouraging responses from consumer groups, travel agents, booking sites and trade associations. The consultation closes on 25 September 2017. goT aN oPINIoN? We want to hear it. Email tstoday@ tsi.org.uk to add your voice to the discussion. We reserve the right to edit letters. A qualification for a modern era Work on a new qualification that will replace the Trading Standards Qualifications Framework (TSQF) continues to make good progress, according to CTSI. Working groups are meeting regularly to develop the modern qualification, which CTSI hopes will meet the needs of a changing trading standards profession. The TSQF offered by the institute has been under increasing strain over the past few years, with the number of candidates sitting the qualification dropping by 57 per cent since 2011. Following a comprehensive review in 2015 by the TSQF focus group, a decision was taken to move to a new, more robust qualification. A qualification review team is up and running divided into seven elements to investigate different areas of study. Each has a dedicated working group, and those sitting on the review team include CTSI Council members, trading standards specialists, members of both the Association of Chief Trading Standards Officers and the Qualifications and Awards Board, and academics. Regular updates on the qualification review will be published on CTSIs website and feedback is welcomed. New insights on cyber scamming A report, released earlier this summer, on the psychology of scamming revealed the true cost of online scamming in the UK to be 1.59bn the same cost as the Northern line tube extension from Kennington to Battersea in south London. Psychology of Scamming: trust and safety in the online market place revealed a number of insights into consumer behaviour. One was that, even when consumers realised they may be being scammed, more than a third (35 per cent) continued as it was a low-value transaction, with three in 10 (29 per cent) seeing it as a bargain worth the risk. It also revealed that more than a quarter of Brits (27 per cent) have been victims of an online marketplace scam, while nearly two-fifths (39per cent) have been victims of an attempted scam. The report which was published in July by Gumtree UK, in association with academic cybersecurity experts Professor Monica Whitty, of the University of Warwick, and Professor Angela Sasse, of University College London involved interviews with 2,000 consumers and included a sample of 1,000 scam victims. New CTSi Council appointments Malcolm Craig, chartered trading standards practitioner from South Lanarkshire Council, succeeds Sara Barry as chair of CTSI Council, for one year, starting this month (September). A new vice-chair and members of CTSI Council have been elected in a national ballot. David Riley was appointed vicechair of the institute for 2017/18, while Christine Heemskerk, Tim Keohane and Sue Powell were elected as council members for a three-year term. All appointments will take effect from CTSIs annual general meeting, which is expected to take place on 5 September. London Trading Standards Week launches this month To promote the important work of trading standards to the public, local services in the London area are taking part in London Trading Standards Week between 25 and 29 September. The week-long event will raise awareness of the wide range of work carried out by trading standards services locally, with each day dedicated to a particular aspect of theme Protecting Consumers; Safeguarding Businesses. Topics include: Day 1: Underage sales of knives, to help prevent people being killed through knife crime Day 2: Letting agencies, to stop private tenants being ripped off by rogue landlords Day 3: Scams and doorstep sales, to protect the vulnerable from fraudsters Day 4: Support for business, so they can survive, thrive and grow Day 5: Product safety, to help prevent people being killed by unsafe domestic goods It is hoped the events will help people understand the significant contribution that local trading standards services make to preventing knife crime, protecting people from rogue traders, helping businesses to operate to their full potential and ensuring that the goods people buy are safe to use. Look out for coverage of events in future editions of TS Today. London Trading Standards Week has been organised by London Trading Standards.