On Wednesday 12 October 2011 Consumer Affairs Minister, Ed Davey joined parliamentary members of the APPG on Debt and Personal Finance to discuss debt remedies and insolvency. At the meeting, chaired by Yvonne Fovargue MP, the members discussed the Government’s response to the Consumer Credit and Personal Insolvency Review conducted by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills and the Treasury, which was published in July. Continue reading Seminar on debt remedies and insolvency →

On 28 June 2011 the APPG on Debt and Personal Finance held its annual Financial Fair and reception. The theme of this year’s event, which was sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group was “Financial Inclusion and Education for Young People. The Financial Fair provided an opportunity for MPs and peers to chat to affiliate members of the group, including representatives from the banking, lending and consumer advice sectors, regarding how young people can be supported and empowered to make positive financial decisions. ABCUL, Experian, the Consumer Credit Counselling Service, PFEG, UK Payments and Citizens Advice exhibited literature highlighting their work with young people. Continue reading Financial Fair 2011 →

On 14 June 2011 the APPG on Debt and Personal Finance hosted a seminar entitled “Protecting Consumers – the future of consumer credit regulation.” Mark Lazarowicz MP chaired the meeting, welcoming Chris Leslie, Shadow Financial Secretary; Stephen Sklaroff, Managing Director of the Finance and Leasing Association and Peter Tutton, Social Policy Officer at Citizens Advice as speakers. Continue reading Seminar on the future of consumer credit regulation →

On the 16 May 2011 members of the APPG on debt and personal finance met with Consumer Affairs Minister, Ed Davey about the need for stronger regulation of fee-charging debt management companies. Nic Dakin, the APPG’s Treasurer who requested the meeting said that all too often these companies were “not debt management companies but debt exploitation companies”.

APPG Debt and Personal Finance submission to BIS call for evidence in support of the Consumer Credit and Personal Insolvency Review [PDF]

On 3 May 2011 the APPG on Debt and Personal Finance and the All Party Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency Group held a joint meeting on “Tackling Fuel Debt. Continue reading APPG on Debt and Personal Finance seminar on fuel debt →

On 10 March 2011 the APPG on Debt and Personal Finance and the APPG on Legal Aid held a joint meeting to discuss the impact of legal aid reform on funding for debt advice. Yvonne Fovargue MP chaired the meeting. Welcoming the MPs, peers, advice and financial sector representatives who attended the meeting, she pointed out that the advice sector is facing “a perfect storm” of rising demand and local and national funding cuts. Continue reading Seminar on Legal Aid reform and debt advice funding →

On 16 December 2010 the Group held a breakfast seminar meeting on how ‘the consumer’s voice’ will be affected by the Government’s proposals for ‘a better model for the consumer landscape’. Continue reading Consumer landscape breakfast seminar →

On 13 July 2010 a breakfast meeting was held on the subject of basic bank accounts. Chaired by the Group’s Secretary, Yvonne Fovargue MP, and attended by over twenty parliamentarians, invited panelists were asked to respond to a new report from Citizens Advice on the lack of provision of basic bank accounts to undischarged bankrupts: Continue reading Basic bank accounts breakfast seminar →