Dear Listener

 News is coming in as I write that there has been another major loss of personal details and financial data, when a data CD being sent by courier to a major insurance company went missing. All I can tell you now is - more details on the programme.

 That leaves the rest of the programme less certain than usual as we have to squeeze even more than the usual quart into our 24 minute pint pot. But here’s what we hope to do.

 There will be a strong consumer story about new rights when you use your credit card abroad. After an epic struggle, the House of Lords has finally ruled that people using their credit card abroad have the same rights as they do in the UK. So if you buy something for more than £100 and up to £30,000 and the item is not delivered or something goes wrong with it then the bank that issued the card is liable to refund your money. The Office of Fair Trading and the banks respond.

 We’ll also be discussing calls for gas and electricity suppliers to offer cheaper tariffs to people in fuel poverty – where the cost of heating and lighting their homes is more than 10% of their income.

 And we hope to be asking if metals and oil are now the things to invest our money in as demand rises and supply begins to dry up.

 At this point I usually say remember that Money Box and Money Box Live can both be downloaded now, so you can listen to them on your computer or MP3 player anytime, anywhere. And you can sign up for a weekly download to make sure you never miss an episode. But as with all technology things go wrong and sometimes the podcast has not appeared for some considerable time after the programme. Apologies. We are trying to sort it out.

 Oh, yes, there will also be another web special – it’s becoming a habit – this time on possible changes to the changes announced just three weeks ago on capital gains tax. David Frost of the British Chambers of Commerce explains his fears and his hopes.

 And while you’re logging on to listen to that why not spend a moment checking out the prize our sister programme Inside Money won at the Bradford & Bingley Personal Finance Awards this week. In fact the whole Money Box team came out of it well as runners up and being shortlisted, as you will see when you read Inside Money Enjoys Award Success.

 Best wishes

 Paul Lewis

 PS Don’t forget the live preview of Money Box on BBC1 Breakfast between 8.45 and 9 Saturday morning. By then I will know what we’re doing!

e-mail Paul Lewis