Natural Monopoly, Essential Goods and Regulation

If the public have a problem with the energy companies, they are first directed to Ombudsman Services, which suggests itself to provide ‘independent dispute resolution for the communications, energy, property and copyright licensing sectors’.

Ombudsman Services is funded by the companies it handles complaints about, which raises questions about conflicts of interest and influence. According to WhatDoTheyKnow.Com, a website which covers Freedom of Information requests to 15440 authorities, Ombudsman Services is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Read more…

Palm Oil: The Good, The Bad and the Downright Ugly! by Faith Canter

These days most people have heard of palm oil, even if it’s just to know that it’s an ingredient in food and beauty products. However, most people won’t know that this is only scratching the surface and that palm oil production is one of the largest businesses in the world. This then becomes a real concern when you hear about what goes into producing the palm oil you eat, use on your body and also as fuel – we use it almost every single day without even realising it. Read more…