§ 23 and 24. Mr. Stonehouseasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether his attention has been drawn to an advertisement in the Daily Sketch, of 1st December, 1958, by Norvac Electrics Limited, purporting to offer for sale rebuilt Hoover or Electrolux vacuum cleaners for £4 12s. 6d. each on hire purchase with free hire-purchase insurance against sickness, unemployment, and death, together with a free hearth rug; whether he is aware that this and similar advertisements published by this company are misleading in intent and effect, and are causing distress to inquirers who 1295 are visited by salesmen selling and delivering new vacuum cleaners costing £31; and whether he will make inquiries into these practices with a view to controlling them;
(2) whether his attention has been drawn to an advertisement published in the Radio Times on 14th November, 1958, by Central Electrics (London), Limited, purporting to offer for sale rebuilt electric washing machines for £14 14s.; whether he is aware that this and other advertisements by this company are misleading the public, as machines are not generally available at this price, and that inquirers are visited by salesmen selling new machines; and what administrative action he proposes to take to deal with these advertisements.
§ Mr. J. RodgersInquiries by the Board of Trade into advertisements of this kind are not yet completed.
§ Mr. StonehouseIs the Minister aware that this firm of Norvac is the largest advertiser in the field of vacuum cleaners and its advertisement, repeated in the Question, is so extravagant that it borders on nonsense? In the inquiries being made, will he not only consult the advertising agencies and the firm concerned, but also consider the representations made by the salesmen employed by this firm and the representations made by the consumers concerned in all parts of the country, who have written to me about this question and whose names I am prepared to submit to him?
§ Mr. RodgersI should be grateful if the hon. Gentleman would await the completion of our inquiries and not ask me to comment further. I think that he will be satisfied when I have completed the inquiries.