25/01/13
Jo Swinson MP, Minister with responsibility for consumer affairs, confirmed that the Government believed that only opt-out class actions offered real access to compensation for consumers the victim of anti-competitive conduct. The Government's Response document is expected to be published next week. At a CBI breakfast seminar on Thursday (24th January) hosted by Herbert Smith Freehills she stressed that any opt-out action would need to be certified as suitable by the CAT and that only recognised bodies, not law firms, could apply to bring them. She also stressed an increased role for the CAT generally (now to include stand-alone cases) and the importance of ADR in providing redress. The seminar was chaired by Bill Wood QC of Brick Court Chambers.
