§ 7. Mr. David Stoddartasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to protect from disclosure the private affairs of people dealing with hire-purchase companies and finance houses; and to prevent such companies from discriminating against the relatives of people who may be bad payers.
§ Mr. RidleyThe Committee on Privacy, of which Mr. Kenneth Younger is Chairman, is at present considering whether any changes in the law relating to the disclosure of the private affairs of individuals are desirable and I will consider its conclusions in relation to consumer credit transactions generally. Whether or not to extend credit to particular individuals must remain within the discretion of credit grantors.
§ Mr. StoddartI am grateful for that answer, but may I point out to the Minister that the practice of hire-purchase 8 companies in disclosing information and refusing credit is causing a great deal of distress? Furthermore, people are being kept on their lists of bad payers after they have done their utmost to pay. I hope that the Minister will take urgent action, if only to discuss with the hire-purchase companies a code of practice which could be adhered to by all the companies.
§ Mr. RidleyThe Committee on Privacy is investigating this matter and I should not prejudge its conclusions, but if any member of the public is aggrieved in the way suggested by the hon. Gentleman, he can apply to the credit agency for a change in his rating in its records. If the hon. Gentleman has details about cases of the sort which he has mentioned, I hope that he will be good enough to send them to me.