CONSUMER NETWORK FOR SCOTLAND MEETING
Thursday 23 March 2023
10:00 – 12:00
Edinburgh
Present:
David Wilson (Chair); Sam Ghibaldan; Douglas White; Tracey Reilly; Jane Williams; Andy Denholm; Eva Brahim – Consumer Scotland
Advice Direct Scotland – Pamela Stewart
Citizens Advice Scotland – Polly Tolley
Competition and Markets Authority – Craig McClue
Chartered Trading Standards Institute (Scottish Branch) – Michelle McKenna
Department for Business and Trade – Carol Rice
Energy Saving Trust – Sitar Ramsay
Financial Conduct Authority – Andy Murphy
Ofcom – Glenn Preston
Ofgem – Adam Cochrane-Williams
Ombudsman Services – David Pilling
Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland (SCOTSS) – David MacKenzie
Scottish Government – Jill Rosie; Wendy McCutcheon
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman – Rosemary Agnew
Trading Standards Scotland – Fiona Richardson
Which? – Tim Mouncer
Water Industry Commission for Scotland – Andrea Mancini
Apologies:
Stacey Dingwall, Federation of Small Businesses
Introductions and plenary discussion on ways of working
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting with a round of introductions, highlighting the intention of a collaborative and Member-led approach.
Prior to the meeting, Secretariat had circulated a briefing paper reflecting the outcome of bilateral stakeholder engagement with Members around how the newly convened Consumer Network would function.
Discussion of the paper highlighted the following points about how the Network will operate:
- It has a unique role in fostering cross-sector collaboration and interaction between regulators, advice bodies, enforcement organisations and policymakers
- It should be proactive and outcome focussed, with room for sharing knowledge and horizon scanning
- Secretariat will facilitate and drive the programme but Members should lead and provide input
- It should seek to avoid duplicating other strategic partnerships.
Members agreed to have a Cooperation Agreement to set out objectives, proposed activities and values, based on discussions.
Action: Secretariat agreed to draft and circulate Cooperation Agreement for discussion at next meeting.
Discussion of proposed Network activities
Members discussed, in groups, what activities the Consumer Network could engage in and what issues they would like the Network to prioritise.
The subsequent discussion highlighted agreement that the Network should:
- focus on cross-cutting themes of net zero, vulnerability and cost of living
- implement a Consumer needs-led approach
- Seek to achieve quick and tangible outcomes
- Consider an intelligence sharing mechanism.
Action: Secretariat agreed to consider a propped set up for an intelligence sharing mechanism.
Discussion on national Performance Framework (NPF)
Douglas White (Director of Policy & Advocacy at Consumer Scotland) advised Members of Consumer Scotland’s early engagement with Scottish Government officials regarding the review of National Outcomes, inviting Members to contact him if they were interested in attending a further, collective, engagement exercise.
Action: Members interested in responding to the NPF consultation agreed to contact Douglas White directly.
Next steps on early priorities and date of next meeting
Members agreed to highlight the reconvened Consumer Network on the Consumer Scotland website. The next meeting would be held at the Consumer Scotland office on Thursday 15 June from 10:00 – 12:00. Secretariat would suggest dates for September meeting in due course.
The meeting was closed at 12:00.