News Most dangerous and unscientific piece of drugs legislation ever, says MP ANDREI DAUBAR / SHUTTERSTOCK JEFF OVERS / GETTY IMAGES Described as one of the stupidest, most dangerous and unscientific pieces of drugs legislation ever, the New Psychoactive Substances Bill has been slammed by a Labour MP in an Early Day Motion, which accused the government of scientific illiteracy. Paul Flynn, Labour MP for Newport West, tabled the motion on 25January, in which he states he is appalled that the Bill is evidencefree and prejudice-rich in disregarding the counterproductive, harmful results of similar bills in Ireland and Poland. The motion highlights: the Reitox Poland report from 2013, which shows that countrys legal high-related poisonings three years after their ban, are above pre-ban levels; the European Commissions conclusion that the use of legal highs in Ireland increased from 16percent in 2011, to 22 per cent in 2014, after a ban was introduced, with young people in Ireland the highest users in the EU; the governments disregard of 45 years of evidence showing that prohibiting drugs and replacing legal markets with illegal ones always leads to increases in drug use and harm; the unique and life-threatening perils of substances that have never previously been ingested by humankind; and the intelligent approach taken to reduce harm in the New Zealand Psychoactive Substances Act 2013. At the time of writing, the motion had attracted four signatures. Multi-million pound firm guilty of unfair commercial practices Following a four-year investigation and a four-month trial believed to be the longest in the history of the profession the directors and sales staff of a multi-million pound double glazing firm have been found guilty of 66 counts of unfair trading. Summit Roofguard, which claimed to be the largest installer of fascias, soffits and guttering in central England, was prosecuted by Dudley Trading Standards after customers across the Black Country were targeted by aggressive commercial practices. Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that the offences took place between 2011 and 2014. The firm, which has since ceased trading, was estimated to have had a turnover of more than 5m in 2012. One victim was pensioner Betty Tipper, 86, of Brierley Hill, who was sold windows and guttering by Summit Roofguard to replace products installed just four years earlier. Another pensioner targeted was 88-year-old Jack Hill, also of Brierley Hill. He was cold-called by the firm in an attempt to persuade him to have his garage roof replaced unnecessarily; he was offered a false 2,000 discount as an incentive. When Dudley Trading Standards intervened, Summit tried unsuccessfully to sue Hill for the outstanding balance. Directors and sales staff were found guilty on 66 counts under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. Director Sarah Beadle was found guilty on 28 various counts of unfair, misleading or aggressive commercial practices, while co-director Martin Evans was found guilty on 24 charges. General manager Trefor Prytherch was found guilty on two counts, and employees Derrick Fisher and Glenys Bolton were each found guilty of four. Salesman Shahid Hussain had pleaded guilty to four similar counts at an earlier hearing. Beadle was found not guilty on two counts, Evans on six and Prytherch on six. Not guilty verdicts were returned against all counts faced by salesman Richard Ledwith, 38, of West Heath, Birmingham, and Nadeem Yasin, 34, from Hodge Hill, Birmingham. Sentencing is expected to take place in March. Disease control breaches cost local livestock haulier 15,000 Gilders Transport, of Gretton Field, Cheltenham, pleaded guilty at Cheltenham Magistrates Court in January to nine offences relating to the handling of animal by-products. The court heard that the company, which was registered as a fallen-stock collector picking up carcasses of dead stock from farms and taking them to a rendering plant had been combining loads of carcasses at their yard without the required approval. The company had also, on one occasion, left carcasses uncovered at its premises, where they were exposed to birds and other wild animals. In 2012, Gloucestershire Trading Standards became aware of the issues and sent a warning letter to the company. The firm applied for approval in June 2012, but this was refused by the Animal and Plant Health Agency because of the proximity of its livestock haulage and farming enterprises. In January 2014, uncovered carcasses were found in the firms yard during a routine inspection by trading standards. The company said that this was a one-off occurrence caused by a vehicle breaking down, but further investigations discovered that the company had regularly combined loads by transferring carcasses between vehicles. The company was fined a total of 11,000 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of 4,662. Dawn raid nets counterfeit toy and cosmetic haul Officers seized illegal cigarettes and counterfeit Disney toys More than 47,000 counterfeit and potentially unsafe goods destined for traders across the UK and Europe were seized by Ealing Trading Standards during a dawn raid on a Southall shipping container yard inJanuary. Ealing Trading Standards joined forces with police officers to seize thousands of items including hoverboards, toys and cosmetics from 53 shipping containers that were opened at the yard. The haul also included illegal cigarettes and tobacco, counterfeit mobile phone accessories, fake Apple and Premiership football club merchandise, designer-branded watches and replacement batteries, as well as counterfeit and potentially unsafe Disney and Angry Birds toys. The operation was part of the Better Business Compliance Partnership (BBCP) a national initiative led by the governments Public Services Transformation Network. Ealing Trading Standards is working with officers from other local and government agencies to crack down on businesses across the borough tackling dangerous goods, tax evasion, illegal workers and the paying of workers less than the statutory minimum wage. Samples of the suspected counterfeit goods will be tested, and officers will examine documentation for the self-balancing scooters, commonly known as hoverboards. Ranjit Dheer, cabinet member for safety, culture and community services, said: We are determined to protect our residents by stoppingdangerous goods reaching the market. When we do find unscrupulous businesses we will take action. Working with other agencies means we can share intelligence and make the best use of ourexpertise. Ealing borough police inspector Graham Dunn said: The Better Business Compliance initiative has provided many opportunities to reduce crime, improve community safety and stop illegal activity. Thisoperation has demonstrated the excellent results that can be achieved where partners work together and pool expertise. New consumer rights travel app launched Would-be green Property developer prosecuted Property developer Lomand Homes has pleaded guilty to five offences under the Consumer The UK European Consumer Centre (UK ECC) is advising UK consumers travelling in Europe to use a Travel App to access their consumer rights. The ECC-Net: Travel App, developed by the European Consumer Centre Network, of which the UK ECC is a member, provides language and legal information for people who find themselves confronted with consumer rights situations when travelling. Available in 25 European languages, the app supplies all the necessary legal information in a users own language and creates arguments to handle the specific situation. After selecting the country and the type of situation such as car rental or hotel the app also helps the consumer to present their rights in the chosen language. Andy Allen, UK ECC director, said: It is a pocket version of an all-in-one legal counsellor and personal interpreter. Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. The company, which is now Bournemouthbased, had claimed that properties at Pennsylvania Heights on the Isle of Portland were built to certified Passivhaus standards, which reduces the need to heat or cool buildings. After allegations of false claims, Dorset Trading Standards investigated and discovered that Lomand Homes had been unable to achieve the intended Passivhaus standards, but had continued to market the properties in this way. The company was fined 3,400, ordered to pay prosecution costs of 12,000, and a victim surcharge of 120, by Bournemouth magistrates.