Any business involved in discussing with customers matters of Finance or arranging Finance for consumers MUST have a Consumer Credit License. Changes have been made with efect from this date regarding the issue of them and action that the OFT can make and take with regards to issue and withdrawl. See the OFT website for further information.

The following is an extract of details released.

45/08    6 April 2008    OFT welcomes major changes to consumer credit licensing regime

The OFT today welcomes the introduction of significant changes to the consumer credit
regime. The reforms introduced by the Consumer Credit Act 2006 (CCA06) come into force
today and will allow the OFT to operate a more focused and flexible regime to protect
consumers.

The changes allow the OFT to focus its resources on businesses engaged in credit
activities which, by their nature, pose a high risk to consumers, and to adopt a
 more flexible approach to regulation than the previous one-size-fits-all system
 allowed. The reforms give the OFT a wider range of enforcement powers and sanctions
 to help bring about improvement in a licensee's conduct when it causes concern. At
 present the OFT can only refuse or revoke a credit licence. 

Changes to the regime include:

indefinite standard licences become the norm for most licences holders
the fitness test being extended to give the OFT the power to assess whether a business
has the necessary competence to provide consumer credit products and services. This
enables the OFT to take account of likely future behaviour as well as any past
misconduct.

The Professional Computing Association (PCA) is taking action to support the NSPCC�s call to protect children when using the internet.

With immediate effect consumer-facing members of the Professional Computing Association (PCA) are required, as part of their conformance with the PCA's Code of Practice to be aware of, and give guidance around some of the safe use issues with regard to computers in the home.  

The PCA�s Code is amended to say �When selling into the domestic market or any other environment where it is likely that a computer will be used by young children and other vulnerable people, a PCA Member must give appropriate advice with regard to safe internet use.� 

The PCA�s Code is binding upon all of its members who sell to end users. The association has some 850 members throughout the UK, most of them being locally focussed computer retailers. 

The PCA decided to support the NSPCC in this matter when it emerged that the children�s charity had found that many large resellers were failing to give appropriate guidance to parents and carers even when it was made clear that the computers would be used by children.

PCA CEO Keith Warburton said �Safety of our children is something that we all take very seriously, but it�s sometimes too easy to assume that the cure for a problem is in someone else�s hands. Here�s something that our members can do quite easily; it costs them little or nothing, it demonstrates their professionalism and it can safeguard a child! 

NSPCC policy advisor, Zoe Hilton said: "This is a positive step in the right direction by the PCA and hopefully it will result in all computer retailers adopting the same approach. The internet has opened up a new, exciting world for children but it also has its share of dangers. Introducing this kind of measure will help them surf more safely."  

In the short term the PCA is directing it members to the NSPCC�s guidance athttp://www.nspcc.org.uk/helpandadvice/parentsandcarers/safesurfing/safesurfing_wda35959.html This will help them review their current practices and adapt them if necessary, and it will subsequently be producing a co-branded flyer in conjunction with the NSPCC, to be distributed via its members.