The Office of Fair Trading has announced that Jonathan May, who was Director of UK competition policy at the Department of Trade and Industry for the last 22 years, has been appointed the first Director of the OFT's new Markets and Policy Initiatives Division. He took up his appointment at the end of last year.
This new division has been set up to explore how well markets are working for their customers and the impact of government laws and regulations on markets. Its reports will highlight areas where markets could work better. The first studies cover consumer IT services, pharmacies and extended warranties for electrical goods.
Simon Priddis is to be the new Director of Mergers at the Office of Fair Trading. He is experienced in EU and US merger cases and will join the OFT in March when the present Director, Andrew White retires: The Director of Mergers plays a key role in decisions taken concerning UK mergers and formulating views on cases falling under EC Merger Law. There are proposals to grant the OFT more autonomy in the merger process which will increase the responsibility of this post.
Ron Gainsford, currently Assistant Director of LACOTS (Local Authorities Co-ordinating Body on Food and Trading Standards) is to be the new Chief Executive of the Trading Standards Institute. He has pledged to lead the Institute into a beneficial new partnership with local government, business, consumer groups and other Government organisations. One hopes that the partnership with consumer groups includes real consumer groups, like us.
Baroness Wilcox, President of the Trading Standards Institute, and our President as well, said: "We are extremely pleased to have obtained the services of Ron Gainsford as our new Chief Executive. His experience, leadership and charisma will ensure TSI keeps on the front foot in serving the interests of our members, local government, consumers, the business community and the public at large."
David Edmonds, Director General of Telecommunications, has appointed Peter Waller as Oftel's new Director of Operations. He succeeds Anne Lambert, who is returning to the DTI after three years at Oftel. He arrives at an interesting time for the Telecoms industry with the creation of the new communications regulator OFCOM, the development of broad band communication services and the implementation of the new European Directive on Communications.
We have been informed that the new Head of the Corporate and Public Affairs Department at the National Consumer Council is Ms Gillian Bull. Mr. Andrew Barnett has left the NCC.
According to The Telegraph on December 6th, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Patricia Hewitt, will not renew the contract of Consignia's Chairman, Neville Bain, because the former Post Office "is simply not good enough". He joined Consignia in 1997, after his sudden departure from Coates Viyella, where he was Chief Executive. In early December she had not found a successor.
We have received a message from CAV informing us that they have ceased to operate. It goes on to say "please pass on our good wishes to the NfCG. We have appreciated receiving your magazine over the years (we started in 1969) but time and lack of new members has caught up with us. With best wishes to your organisation".
Lord Young of Dartington, who was the Patron of the National Federation of Consumer Groups for many years, died on January 14th, aged 86. He was the founder of The Consumers Association which he set up in 1956 while he was running the Institute of Community Studies, which he founded in 1953 with Peter Willmott. With a small grant from the Dartington Amenity Research Trust he published a magazine comparing and testing consumer products. This caught the public eye and the magazine "Which?" followed the next year, despite warnings that he would fall foul of the laws of libel. In 1960 he wrote and published a pamphlet, "The chipped white cups of Dover" which advocated a separate political party for consumers.
One could go on and on with a list of groundbreaking initiatives, foundations, and activities which may never have happened without him.
He drafted the Labour Party Manifesto for the 1945 general election, with a detailed programme of social reform and public ownership, and Labour won a landslide victory. He hosted our 25th Anniversary celebrations at the House of Lords in 1987.
To say he will be sorely missed is the understatement of the millennium.
We are all still regretting the departure of Margaret Williams, who is still very active in Louth and many places further afield. We now have a new Development Director Libby Smith, who started in January and has already made her mark, notably by initiating discussion on co-operation with the DTI, NCC and CA. Libby is a former journalist and has been active in the charity and fundraising field, so brings valuable experience with her to be used to our advantage.
Contact details - Libby Smith, St Johns Cottage, Skinners Lane, Metfield, HARLESTON, Suffolk. IP20 OLH Telephone 01379 586 588 email development@ncf.info
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