Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of hidden fees and charges on financial and digital transactions on (a) local economic activity, (b) national economic activity, (c) consumers and (d) household debt.

Consumer law requires that all charges and fees are clear up front (including those related to consumer credit) and not hidden. Consumers then know what they will be paying and can make choices based between competitive suppliers on that basis. These rules are not driven by an assessment of economic activity nationally or locally but enable consumers to compare prices as they shop. Separately the Office for National Statistics and the Office for Budget Responsibility provide data on economic activity and household indebtedness.