HC Deb 12 July 1955 vol 543 cc1719-20
3. Mr. Roy Jenkins

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now completed his plans for compiling hire-purchase statistics.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

Yes, Sir. Consultations have taken place and are continuing. Retailers and finance houses are to be invited to co-operate in supplying statistics which will show the monthly changes in hire-purchase sales and debts outstanding for the main types of goods sold on hire purchase. It is hoped to start collecting these figures in the autumn.

Mr. Jenkins

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us when the figures will be available? Does it mean that we shall have figures of hire-purchase contracts entered into from September or October onwards?

Mr. Thorneycroft

I think rather later than that, but perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put down a Question.

16. Mr. Gower

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to make it obligatory that all persons or firms offering goods for sale on hire-purchase terms should exhibit a notice stating separately the cash price of the goods and their hire-purchase price.

18. Mrs. Mann

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to ensure that all hire-purchase firms display the cash price, the amount required as deposit, and the number of deposits required to complete the purchase, when goods are offered for sale by hire purchase.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

No, Sir. The Hire-Purchase Act, 1938, already requires the owner to state in writing to the hirer the cash price, the hire-purchase price and the amount of each instalment.

Mr. Gower

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the presence of such a notice often conceals an unfair and unjustifiable difference between the cash price and the hire-purchase price? Is he also aware that what my Question asks for is already the practice of reputable firms; and, therefore, would it not be proper to arrange with all firms to carry out the same practice?

Mr. Thorneycroft

Of course, the law requires them so to do under the Hire-Purchase Act, 1938, and my belief is that if they do not do so they are committing an offence.

Mrs. Mann

If the law requires them so to do, will the right hon. Gentleman have a look at some of the advertisements which say, "No deposit," "Delivery on the first payment"? One advertisement after another says that. They are mostly in the provincial papers—not the national papers—which are read by the people who are purchasing these goods. Is it not time that the right hon. Gentleman attended to his business?

Mr. Thorneycroft

If the advertisements in fact refer to hire-purchase agreements, perhaps the hon. Lady will let me have them.

Mr. Speaker

Mr. Emrys Hughes.

Mr. Gower

On a point of order is it not a fact that when my right hon. Friend says that the law requires—

Mr. Speaker

Order. Mr. Emrys Hughes.