The Consumer Scotland Act 2020 established Consumer Scotland as a statutory independent consumer body. Consumer Scotland was officially launched on 22 June 2022. The Chair of Consumer Scotland wrote to the Committee about its implementation plans in June 2022.

The Regulations make amendments to provisions of Acts of the Scottish Parliament by:

• Transferring functions from Citizens Advice Scotland to Consumer Scotland;

• Ensuring that both Citizens Advice Scotland and Consumer Scotland can both perform certain functions.

Regulation 2 makes modifications to:

• The Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2022, the Water Services etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 to transfer certain functions from Citizens Advice Scotland to Consumer Scotland;

• The Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 to allow one function to be performed by both Citizens Advice Scotland and Consumer Scotland.

Regulation 3 makes transitional and saving provisions relating to the transfer of functions from Citizens Advice Scotland to Consumer Scotland.

The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered the instrument at its meeting on 06 September 2022 and made no recommendations.

The Committee took evidence on the instrument from Tom Arthur, Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth at its meeting on 28 September. Following the evidence session, the Minister moved motion S6M-05257—

That the Economy and Fair Work Committee recommends the Consumer Scotland (Transfer of Functions) Regulations 2022 be approved.

The motion was agreed to without division.

The Economy and Fair Work Committee recommends to the Parliament that the Consumer Scotland (Transfer of Functions) Regulations 2022 be approved.