Not least of these was the need to reflect the different judicial systems in Scotland and Northern Ireland. We are considering the best use we can make of this. Now I don't know who is being helped by all this, but it certainly isn't consumers. I am all for consumer choice, but there must be simplification. And all of us working with consumers must do our best to signpost our customers round this.
Ombudsmen are well placed to observe wrong doing by individual traders.
Regulation is in something of a state of flux at the moment, for example with the setting up of the Financial Services Authority. But it would help future enforcers enormously if you could let them know about the miscreants you come across. Last, and an intriguing question to end with. If we have new sectors covered by ombudsmen on a voluntary basis, why can't they also look at complaints against firms in the sector but outside any redress scheme. Ombudsmen could offer free conciliation, but contractually binding adjudication with costs, if that failed to resolve the problem.