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Members of Parliament and a member of the House of Lords George were presented with a report by Corgi, the gas safety specialists commissioned by the FTO, which contains recommendations for a consistent, European wide approach to the safety of gas appliances.

Former Consumer Affairs Minister, Nigel Griffths MP, who chaired the meeting, said that there was a broad consensus from attendees that the problems arising from faultily installed and maintained gas appliances needed to be addressed at source. He and Lord Foulkes agreed to raise awareness of the report with key decision makers both in the UK and in Brussels. Nigel Griffiths agreed to write to the European Commission asking for action on gas safety and commended the FTO initiative to raise the awareness of the need for increased levels of safety in tourist accommodation.

Speaking on behalf of the FTO, Andy Cooper, Director of Government and External Affairs, Thomas Cook Group, said “These roundtables are an essential tool in our lobbying function. Today’s meeting has helped place the FTO and Corgi’s report at the heart of ensuring consistent gas safety standards for the 57 million UK leisure travellers who go abroad each year and we will continue this process in Brussels next month.”

28 October 2009

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Sean Tipton, Senior Press Officer, tel: 020 3117 0513, Frances Tuke, Public Relations Manager, tel: 020 3117 0514, Mobile 07850 712 325, Casia Zajac, Head of Communications, tel: 020 3117 0515, Mobile: 07545 927 411
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Notes to Editors
ABTA – The Travel Association was founded in 1950 and currently has 1,351 members with 5,700 outlets. Members include travel agents, tour operators and support services right across the spectrum from small family-owned businesses to the largest tour operators. 

ABTA is the largest travel association in the UK and its members provide 90% of the foreign package holidays in the UK as well as selling millions of independent travel arrangements. 

In 2008 ABTA merged with the Federation of Tour Operators [FTO], thereby cementing its role as the leading travel association and increasing benefits for both ABTA and FTO members. Both the ABTA brand which is highly recognised by consumers and the FTO brand which is well known in destinations will be retained.

As part of its comprehensive package of services to members, ABTA, as a non-party political organisation provides an effective voice to represent the interests of its Members to government and key opinion formers at the highest levels.  In the UK, these include government ministers, constituency MPs, Select Committee members, senior civil servants and members of the political opposition parties.