§ 15. Mr. Winnickasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now state the result of the further inquiries which his Department has made into the position of the South African holiday advertisements and the Trade Descriptions Act.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade (Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody)Inquiries have confirmed that the body which sponsored the advertisement to which my hon. Friend referred on 11th February did not make that statement in the course of a trade or business, and therefore could not have offended against the Trade Descriptions Act. If my hon. Friend has reason to 476 think that any other person has committed an offence, this can be brought to the attention of the appropriate local weights and measures authority for due consideration.
§ Mr. WinnickAre not these South African holiday advertisements quite dishonest? Non-whites are barred from taking their holidays in South Africa. In view of that, surely there is a clear infringement of the Trade Descriptions Act?
§ Mrs. DunwoodyWe have looked at the terms of the Act very carefully. Whether any advertising agency or newspaper involved in the publication of this statement may have committed an offence against the Act is a rather different question which it would be right for the local authority to consider in the first instance. If my hon. Friend wishes, I will draw it to its attention.