Member

My amendment is intended to be probing. Can the Government explain why Clause 8 is the right way to deliver greater clarity and certainty in FOS decisions? What evidence base justifies a change of this scale? How can they assure the Committee that the consumer’s access to fair, impartial and timely redress will not weaken as a result? As drafted, Clause 8 raises several risks. First, it weakens the ombudsman’s impartiality. The current wording removes that discretion, as I have explained. Secondly, it undermines how FOS can act as a fast, informal dispute resolution body.