67. Captain CROOKSHANKasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider setting up a Committee to investigate the limits within which advertisers should be allowed to make appeals to the public regarding the quality and nature of the goods which they seek to sell, and to consider the advisability of setting up some national system of standard for goods purchased by Government Departments, the research in which might also be made available for the general public?
§ Mr. H. WILLIAMSMy right hon. Friend, as at present advised, does not see his way to appoint a Committee for the purpose indicated in the first part 1882 of the question. As regards the second part, the standardisation, so far as practicable, of goods purchased by Government Departments has been proceeding steadily for a considerable time, but I doubt if the specifications would as a rule be of interest to the general public.
Captain CROOKSHANKHas my hon. Friend's attention been called to advertisements which appeared in the Press on Monday—full-page illustrated advertisements—of blocks of flats which in actual practice have not yet been erected, followed to-day by a prospectus asking for money for that purpose; and does he not think that that sort of thing, which is very nearly false pretences, is a matter which should be investigated by the Government?
Viscountess ASTORAre those advertisements more misleading than advertisements for beer, which promise health and happiness?
§ Mr. MONTAGUEIs the Under-Secretary prepared to recommend truth in advertising to his own Government?
§ Mr. WILLIAMSYes, but if we recommended truth in advertising, it would have to apply to all political parties.