Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that all operators and travel agents offering tours to Mecca and the Hajj pilgrimage are meeting the standards set out in consumer protection legislation; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Margot James
Hajj and Umrah trips are covered by consumer law under the Package Travel Regulations 1992, and more general consumer protection legislation and laws against theft and fraud.
The Department has published two information leaflets; one for pilgrims on booking a Hajj trip and one for Hajj travel organisers setting out their basic legal obligations. These are available on the gov.uk website.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that those making the Hajj pilgrimage are aware of their consumer and travel rights when booking tours; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Margot James
Hajj and Umrah trips are covered by consumer law under the Package Travel Regulations 1992, and more general consumer protection legislation and laws against theft and fraud.
The Department has published two information leaflets; one for pilgrims on booking a Hajj trip and one for Hajj travel organisers setting out their basic legal obligations. These are available on the gov.uk website.
Asked by: Jo Cox (Labour - Batley and Spen)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to tackle Hajj and Umrah tour and travel operators who break UK law and exploit people seeking to undertake a religious pilgrimage.
Answered by Nick Boles
Exploitation of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims by rogue tour operators is addressed both by consumer protection law (notably the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992) and the laws on fraud and deceptive practices. The relevant enforcement agencies are already taking steps to improve their ability to tackle such exploitation.
National Trading Standards has made enforcement in this area one of its national priorities and the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, operated by the City of London Police, is running a Hajj Fraud National Awareness campaign designed to inform consumers and to encourage reporting of crime in this sector. Birmingham’s Trading Standards Department which has taken the lead role in tackling non-compliance, on behalf of National Trading Standards, has seen significant success in its area in both prosecuting rogues and encouraging and ensuring compliance in the legitimate trade. They are working hard to ensure that their enforcement colleagues in other parts of the country benefit from their experience and are better informed of the problems in the sector.
Key to that success has been engagement with the Muslim community so that those who are planning a trip are aware of their rights and the legal responsibilities of organisers, and those that suffer at the hands of the rogues are willing to report their experiences to the relevant authorities.
Asked by: Jo Cox (Labour - Batley and Spen)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he has taken to ensure that law enforcement and other agencies have the necessary expertise to deal with businesses who exploit people booking Hajj and Umrah tours.
Answered by Nick Boles
Exploitation of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims by rogue tour operators is addressed both by consumer protection law (notably the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992) and the laws on fraud and deceptive practices. The relevant enforcement agencies are already taking steps to improve their ability to tackle such exploitation.
National Trading Standards has made enforcement in this area one of its national priorities and the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, operated by the City of London Police, is running a Hajj Fraud National Awareness campaign designed to inform consumers and to encourage reporting of crime in this sector. Birmingham’s Trading Standards Department which has taken the lead role in tackling non-compliance, on behalf of National Trading Standards, has seen significant success in its area in both prosecuting rogues and encouraging and ensuring compliance in the legitimate trade. They are working hard to ensure that their enforcement colleagues in other parts of the country benefit from their experience and are better informed of the problems in the sector.
Key to that success has been engagement with the Muslim community so that those who are planning a trip are aware of their rights and the legal responsibilities of organisers, and those that suffer at the hands of the rogues are willing to report their experiences to the relevant authorities.