CTSI has taken over the secretariat for the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Consumer Protection. The Group is chaired by Gill Furniss MP and brings together parliamentarians and stakeholders to discuss consumer protection issues and raise the profile of the trading standards profession.

Officers

Chair – Gill Furniss MP (Labour)

Gill Furniss is the Labour Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, first elected in 2016. She has served on Labour’s frontbench as Shadow Minister for Steel, Postal Affairs and Consumer Protection, reflecting a strong focus on fair markets, essential services and support for people on lower incomes. In Parliament she regularly raises issues affecting her constituents and wider consumer rights, including the cost of living and access to post office and retail services. As Chair and Registered Contact of the APPG, she leads the Group’s work programme and is the main parliamentary contact for the Group.

Vice Chair – Baron Elliott of Mickle Fell (Conservative)

Baron Elliott of Mickle Fell is a Conservative life peer and campaigner with a long background in public policy and advocacy. He founded the TaxPayers’ Alliance and other campaigning organisations, and has led national referendum campaigns including the 2011 Alternative Vote referendum and the 2016 Vote Leave campaign. He has also advised on regulatory and economic policy issues and worked closely with parliamentarians, think tanks and business groups on the design of consumer facing regulation. His experience covers tax, regulation, competition and consumer markets, which he brings to the Group’s discussions on how policy and regulation work for consumers.

Vice Chair – The Earl of Lindsay (Conservative)

The Earl of Lindsay is a Conservative peer with extensive experience in regulation, accreditation and standards, and serves as President of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. He also chairs the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme, which works with businesses and regulators to improve customer facing standards. Lord Lindsay has spoken frequently on the role of trading standards, consumer protection and accreditation, and has highlighted the importance of strong enforcement and up to date standards in an online, net zero economy. Through the APPG he acts as a link between Parliament, CTSI and the wider consumer protection system

Vice Chair – Mark Sewards MP (Labour)

Mark Sewards is the Labour Member of Parliament for Leeds South West and Morley, elected in 2024. Born and raised in Morley, he previously worked as a secondary school maths teacher in south Leeds and served as a Leeds City Councillor for Farnley and Wortley. His interests include education, cost of living pressures and support for communities facing disadvantage, and he has spoken about consumer issues in the context of everyday household budgets. As Vice Chair of the APPG he contributes a constituency focused perspective on how national consumer policy affects people and small businesses in towns and cities like Leeds and Morley

If you have any questions, you can contact the Group’s secretariat: [email protected].