HC Deb 25 February 1965 vol 707 cc589-92
13. Mr. Dodds

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the result of discussions with the Code of Advertising Practice Committee and the Advertising Standards Authority and any other organisation that gives guidance to newspapers in these matters as to advertisements by the Universal Health Studios Limited.

Mr. Darling

I understand that the Code of Advertising Practices Committee has recommended that all advertisements by this company should be suspended.

Mr. Dodds

I thank my hon. Friend for what he has said in that connection. Will he explain the mystery of why he wrote to me at the beginning of January stating that he had come to an agreement at this firm, that they should cut the price and show the cost in the advertisement, which never materialised? Was it one more agreement which was not kept by the Universal Health Studios Limited?

Mr. Darling

There was no agreement. The Board of Trade cannot make agreements of this kind. As a result of publicity and pressure the company wrote to say it would discontinue this kind of advertising. I do not know why it has continued not to show the cost in its advertisement. As I explained during the Adjournment debate on Tuesday, I have no power to require the company to do so. No doubt the voluntary control bodies will consider this point when the lifting of their ban is being discussed.

Mr. Francis Noel-Baker

Can my hon. Friend say what right an unofficial body which he has mentioned has to include the, name "Authority" in its title? When it is reconsidered by the advertising industry, will he ask that they choose a less misleading one?

Mr. Darling

That is entirely another question. The relationship between the Code of Advertising Practice Committee and the Advertising Standards Authority is, I think, well known to my hon. Friend.

16. Mr. Dodds

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the nature of the communication which was sent to him by the Deputy Director of the Consumer Council in respect of the practices of the Universal Health Studios Limited.

Mr. Darling

An acknowledgment of the communication to which I referred in my reply to my hon. Friend on 5th February.

Mr. Dodds

I do not understand what that means. Will my hon. Friend now give an answer to the question put before, what about the cooling-off period, or the waiting period? He said he had some agreement with the Universal Health Studios Limited. Why has not it been carried out?

Mr. Speaker

That supplementary question does not arise out of the Answer.

Mr. Dodds

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I asked a Question earlier and, in reply, the Minister said that there was a Question on the Order Paper which he would answer later.

Mr. Speaker

A supplementary question must arise out of the Answer. I do not see how the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question arose out of this Answer.

Mr. Gresham Cooke

Is the Minister aware that a number of Americans seem to be coming to this country and forming these sort of bogus companies? Is he aware that one called Readers Service Ltd. has now gone into liquidation? Would he warn the appropriate bodies and the newspapers that there are these Americans who come to this country to form these high pressure sales companies?

Mr. Darling

The point which the hon. Gentleman has raised and the matter raised by my hon. Friend are being considered. The question of a cooling-off period in this kind of contract is a very difficult one; it has all kinds of legal snags. We are giving it active consideration.

27. Mr. Ogden

asked the President of the Board of Trade, what discussions he has now had with the Attorney-General regarding continuing reports of undesirable sales-promotion techniques used by the Universal Health Studios Limited; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Darling

As I said in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Erith and Crayford (Mr. Dodds) on 5th February, the Board of Trade have sent details of complaints made by members of the public about this company's methods to the Metropolitan Police. I understand that the police are making inquiries about some of the complaints, and I do not think that it would be in the public interest that I should say any more.

Mr. Ogden

Will my right hon. Friend say whether in that correspondence he has considered whether the people who give professional health services in the studios should have professional qualifications? Will he bear in mind the danger of unqualified people giving such technical advice?

Mr. Darling

That is a matter which ought to be discussed with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health. In fact, we have had one or two preliminary discussions on this matter.

Mr. John Hall

Is it true that Universal Health Studios Limited have invited the police to make an investigation into their affairs and that the police have refused that invitation?

Mr. Darling

I think that if the hon. Member looks up the invitation which was made by Universal Health Studios he will find that it was for an investigation into their contract, and method of dealing with contracts and so on. I would prefer to leave this matter, because the police have, I understand, taken that into consideration, too.