Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 21
21
Local authority Trading Standards services have experienced significant resourcing challenges, including a 39% real-terms reduction...
Conclusion
Local authority Trading Standards services have experienced significant resourcing challenges, including a 39% real-terms reduction in funding in the past 10 years. The OPSS told us that services’ funding varies enormously throughout the UK, as some Trading Standards are very well resourced to tackle product safety risks while others do not have the funding to deal with the most minor product safety issue.38 The OPSS advocated to us the important role played by local Trading Standards services within the regulatory system, particularly with respect to frontline enforcement of product safety regulations. In particular, the OPSS commented on the strengths of Trading Standards services as being part of local communities, which provides useful knowledge and insight of local businesses when investigating different product safety risks and threats in a local area.39 A vision for the future of UK product safety regulation
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
3: PAC conclusion: There is insufficient coordination between the OPSS, local authorities and other parts of government. 3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Spring 2022 3.2 OPSS recognises the fundamental role that local Trading Standards services play in product safety regulation and the importance of attracting new people into the profession. OPSS provides national capability to supplement and enhance the effectiveness of local authority enforcement activity. This includes: provision of scientific and technical capability; intelligence and risk capability to provide a national risk picture; national incident management capability; and Trading Standards capability building. OPSS engages with local authorities and Trading Standards bodies and their views and feedback inform OPSS’ delivery. OPSS is currently clarifying its offer to Trading Standards to facilitate greater understanding and co- operation. 3.3 OPSS was instrumental in the development of a new Regulatory Compliance Officer apprenticeship, working with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) and other regulators to diversify entry routes into a career in regulatory services. 3.4 The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (the department) currently provides £12 million funding to National Trading Standards (NTS) and £1.25 million to Trading Standards Scotland per annum to add specialist expertise and to support trading standards to enforce cases that stretch beyond local boundaries. OPSS also supports Trading Standards through funding testing laboratories, training, national co-ordination and intelligence such as the Product Safety Database, sharing information on unsafe or non-compliant products, with 1,300 local authority users and 9 national regulators. Local authority regulatory services are funded from each local authority’s budget, in line with local decision-making, but OPSS will continue to inform central government discussions on maintaining the effectiveness of Trading Standards Services.