HL Deb 07 June 1984 vol 452 cc769-70

3.23 p.m.

Baroness Burton of Coventry

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make a statement on the support given to proposals made by the Director General of Fair Trading for the strengthening and extension of trading codes of practice.

The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Belstead)

My Lords, in his discussion paper on home improvements in March 1982 the Director General of Fair Trading raised the idea of a general duty to trade fairly as a means of strengthening and extending voluntary codes of practice. Following publication of his final report on home improvements last June, the Director General is looking further into this concept on which he plans to publish a discussion paper in due course. The Government await this paper with interest and will consider carefully any proposals from him which may result.

Baroness Burton of Coventry

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply which is much better than I had expected. However, would he agree that there is particular concern about the enforcement of codes of practice? Moreover, would it not be helpful in general if there was an extension of such codes of practice negotiated with trade associations? Would not that then lead to a more general consideration of the concern felt about traders who are not members of trade associations?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, both of the points which the noble Baroness has raised—namely, the extension of codes of practice to traders other than those who are members of associations and also the question of enforcement—are, we understand, both specifically matters into which the Director General of Fair Trading is looking, and we must now wait to see what he says when he produces his discussion paper a little later on in the year.

Lord Campbell of Alloway

My Lords, will the discussion paper to which my noble friend the Minister refers include any reference to proposals to amend the statutory definition of public interest?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, my noble friend can ask that question, but I am not entirely sure that I can give the answer, mainly because we must await the discussion paper from the Director General of Fair Trading, but also because, as a matter of fact, I do not know what the answer is.