HC Deb 14 May 1959 vol 605 cc1412-4
30. Mr. Frank Allaun

the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received concerning breaches of the Advertisements (Hire-Purchase) Act; and what action he proposes.

35. Miss Burton

the President of the Board of Trade how many cases have been taken up by his Department under the Advertisements (Hire-Purchase) Act since this came into force some fifteen months ago.

Mr. J. Rodgers

With permission, will answer Questions Nos. 30 and 35 together.

Miss Burton

On a point of order. My hon. Friend's Questions refers to possible future action by the Board of Trade. My Question is something quite different and asks what has happened in the past. In those circumstances might we not have Question No. 35 answered separately.

Mr. Speaker

We had better wait to hear the Answer. It may cover both Questions.

Mr. Rodgers

With permission, I will try to answer this Question and No. 35 together.

About sixty cases have been looked into by my Department, of which twenty were reported by the public. In none of these cases has the Board of Trade thought that prosecution would he justified.

Mr. Allaun

Is the Minister aware that I can provide him with a dozen cases in which the trade associations have received large numbers of complaints. Further, is he aware that trade associations have been told by the Board of Trade that it has no intention of prosecuting, and in fact there has not been a single prosecution in England under this Act? What is the good of passing laws if they are not to be acted upon?

Mr. Rodgers

In the first place, it is open to any organisation or any member of the public to bring a prosecution under the 1957 Act. Secondly, the Board of Trade is anxious that the Act should be observed. Our view is that it is being generally observed and we do not regard it as appropriate for a Government Department to take purely penal proceedings under it where isolated breaches of the law may have occurred due merely to ignorance.

Miss Burton

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that his answer is unsatisfactory and is complete nonsense. Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that commerce in general is quite convinced that the Board of Trade has no intention of prosecuting and that it is further convinced that the Board of Trade does not understand what the first Sections of the Act mean and is not therefore willing to prosecute —[An HON. MEMBER: "Non-sense."]—The hon. Gentleman does not know as much about it as I do. Will the Parliamentary Secretary be prepared to receive a deputation of traders on this matter?

Mr. Rodgers

Since we are apparently exchanging civilities and compliments to each other, may I say that the hon. Lady in her Question on 7th May of this year was entirely inaccurate. The 1957 Act does not apply to all hire-purchase advertisements nor does it require the cash price and the amount of each instalment to be stated. The hon. Lady has misled the House in sonic of her own statements.

Miss Burton

On a point of order. Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that where—[Interruption.] May I ask you, Mr. Speaker, if the Parliamentary Secretary is aware that the statement he has just made—

Mr. Speaker

I cannot answer whether the hon. Member is aware of anything or not. I am not privy to his mind.