Question reference: S6W-05354
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 23 December 2021
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Current status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 20 January 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider extending powers to licensing authorities to regulate doorstep cold callers.
Answer
Doorstep cold calling can create anxiety for householders, especially vulnerable householders. It is important that advice is available for those who may be concerned about doorstep cold calling.
The regulation of doorstep cold calling falls within general consumer protection policy with specific policy responsibility being part of the operation of trading standards which rests with the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
Trading Standards Scotland (TSS), the national organisation for trading standards in Scotland, is funded by BEIS and managed by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. The TSS website provides a range of helpful guidance on how best householders can address concerns about doorstep cold calling. http://www.tsscot.co.uk/priority-areas/doorstep-scammers/
Within this context, decisions about further regulation of doorstep cold calling would fall to the UK Government to consider.