SCAM AWARENESS MONTH

Early day motion 695, tabled 8 February 2005 by Lord Cotter (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 67 members.

That this House welcomes the launch of Scam Awareness month, a campaign to alert the public to deceptive and fraudulent mass marketed scams; notes with deep concern the growing number of scams operated by rogue traders and criminals; particularly notes the increase in scams targeted at small businesses; expresses concern that due to a clause in the Enterprise Act 2002 the Office of Fair Trading lacks the power to intervene and stop business-to-business scams in the same way that it is able to address consumer disputes; urges the Government to offer the same protection to businesses under the law as to consumers and therefore to accept the Federation of Small Businesses' proposal that stop now orders should be extended so that the actions available to enforcement agencies in business-to-business disputes mirror those currently available in consumer disputes.

Signatures by party: Labour 33, Liberal Democrat 20, DUP 4, Labour/Co-operative 4, Conservative 3, UUP 2, Scottish National Party 1.