Consumer Affairs Minister Gareth Thomas today announced the appointment of Richard Hill as Chair of a new Northern Ireland consumer body - Consumer Focus Post. The new body will officially start work today. It will be responsible for representing consumers in the postal services sector in Northern Ireland.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Consumer Affairs Minister Gareth Thomas today announced the appointment of Richard Hill as Chair of a new Northern Ireland consumer body - Consumer Focus Post.
The new body will officially start work today. It will be responsible for representing consumers in the postal services sector in Northern Ireland.
Gareth Thomas said:
"Richard Hill's skills and experience will be crucial in making sure that Consumer Focus Post hits the ground running. The body has an important role to play supporting consumers in Northern Ireland"
Richard Hill said:
"I am delighted to take up this appointment. I look forward to establishing an effective and dynamic consumer advocate for postal services in Northern Ireland." Notes to editors:
1. The new Northern Ireland body, Consumer Focus Post, is part of changes taking place as part of the Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007. The Act delivers stronger and more streamlined consumer advocacy and representation by establishing new bodies in place of the current National Consumer Council ( NCC ); Scottish Consumer Council ( SCC ); Welsh Consumer Council ( WCC ); Energywatch and Postwatch.
2. The overarching body is called Consumer Focus, but there will also be Consumer Focus Scotland; Consumer Focus Wales; and - in Northern Ireland - Consumer Focus Post. The last will deal only with postal services as the General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland deals with all other consumer issues in the province.
3. The Act also provides for the establishment of new redress schemes for consumers in the gas, electricity and postal services markets. This will mean that consumers can have resolution of complaints which are not resolved to their satisfaction by their service providers. Postal services consumers in Northern Ireland will be covered by the postal service redress scheme.
4. This appointment has been made in accordance with the requirements of the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees' political activity ( if any declared ) to be made public. Richard Hill declared no political activity
5. The Chair of Consumer Focus Post - who will also be a member of the overarching body Consumer Focus - receives remuneration of £20,000 per annum, based on 100 days per year.
6. Brief details of the appointee, whose term will be three years, are given below:
Richard Hill is the Vice Chair of the Northern Ireland Screen Commission, and a Member of the General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland. He is a self-employed media consultant and broadcaster.
7. The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform helps UK business succeed in an increasingly competitive world. It promotes business growth and a strong enterprise economy, leads the better regulation agenda and champions free and fair markets. It is the shareholder in a number of Government-owned assets and it works to secure, clean and competitively priced energy supplies
Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform 7th Floor, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0ET
Public enquiries +44 ( 0 )20 7215 5000 Textphone +44 ( 0 )20 7215 6740 ( for those with hearing impairment ) http://www.berr.gov.uk
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