§ 12. Mr. Loydenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will raise with the Independent Broadcasting Authority the operation of its code of practice on television advertising, and, in particular, the matter of Christmas television advertising of toys at times when children are likely to be watching.
§ Mr. JohnThese are matters for the Independent Broadcasting Authority under the IBA Act 1973. The Annan Committee recommended, however, that there should be no advertisements within or between children's programmes and that the advertising of products or services of particular interest to children should not be shown before 9 p.m. We are considering this recommendation in the light of the comments that we have received on it.
§ Mr. LoydenI thank my hon. Friend for his reply, but will he take this matter seriously, because in my view and in the view of many of my constituents, grossly exaggerated visual claims are made by television, not only on this product but on other products? I believe that that part of consumer protection needs tightening up.
§ Mr. JohnNothing in my answer should lead my hon. Friend to believe that I do not take it seriously. We are considering the Annan Committee's recommendations most seriously and I shall certainly look at this aspect of it, because I understand the points that my hon. Friend is making.
§ Mr. BrothertonDoes the Minister agree that the responsibility for children 899 buying toys lies not with the Independent Broadcasting Authority but with the parents?
§ Mr. JohnYes, but I think that that is a simplistic view, which one would expect from the hon. Gentleman. He knows the powerful effect of advertising in the Western world.
§ Mr. WhiteheadWill my hon. Friend discount the last statement, yet again, and take on board the fact that many Labour Members know that children in lower-income families can be brainwashed by these advertisements? That is why the Annan Committee was against advertising during children's programmes.
§ Mr. JohnI accept what my hon. Friend said. I believe that the Annan Committee made its recommendation after careful study. It therefore behoves us, in our turn, to give the report equally careful study.