HL Deb 13 July 1971 vol 322 cc188-90

2.48 p.m.

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what means of redress are available for those foreign visitors who are grossly overcharged during their stay in this country.]

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, if a visitor is charged more than the provider of the goods or services is legally entitled to demand he has the same legal remedies as are available to a British subject. These include the right to refuse to pay the excess.

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply. Is not this really a question of private enterprise gone mad? Here are the Government doing their best to get this country into Europe, while allowing private individuals to do their best to keep Europe out of this country.

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, there is of course no machinery for limiting prices, except where there is a statutory limit.

LORD BROWN

My Lords, would it not be possible to draw the attention of the British Tourist Authority to the possibility of considering setting up some channel which could be used by foreign tourists to ventilate grievances they have in this respect?

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, the British Tourist Authority is primarily a promotional organisation and is not geared for receiving complaints.

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord if he will ask the British Tourist Authority whether they consider themselves geared to help in this matter? I think he will get a different reply from the one that he gave to us.

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, I should be rather surprised if I did, but I will certainly set that line of inquiry in motion. There are one or two things that are open equally to residents in this country and tourists from overseas if they feel that the law has been broken in any way: they can go to the Citizens' Advice Bureaux, or they can go to the police.

LORD PEDDIE

My Lords, would the noble Lord kindly give some indication of the nature of the legal restrictions upon unduly high prices, to which he made reference in his original reply?

LORD DENHAM

Yes, my Lords. The legal restrictions would be, as I see it, about four in number. The first is where there is some agreement as to price before the actual sale takes place. If this agreement is broken, a civil action for breach of contract would be possible. Secondly, there are various statutory limitations in price, such as taxi fares in London. Thirdly, there are cases where possibly there has been a misleading description; and, fourthly, there are cases where there is some sort of deception, such as the wrong change being given.

BARONESS GAITSKELL

My Lords, would not the noble Lord agree that British visitors on the Continent of Europe are just as liable to be overcharged as foreign visitors over here?

LORD DENHAM

Yes, my Lords; I am very grateful to the noble Baroness for bringing up that point.

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, would it not be of considerable help if this information, giving also the maximum charges, were displayed on a notice in every hotel bedroom in this country, so that foreign visitors will know what remedies they have against such instances of overcharging?

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, the Development of Tourism Act 1969 makes provision for both the displaying of prices and the registration of hotels, but an Order in Council would be needed to bring the relevant sections into effect. I am advised that if they were brought into effect the registration would have to come first, and the British Tourist Authority are at the moment examining the criteria for such registration.

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, is it not high time that such an Order in Council was introduced? Is the noble Lord aware that many visitors to this country are reluctantly forced to sleep out because they cannot afford the high charges made to them in this capital City of London?

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, I cannot comment on the second part of the noble Lord's question, except to say that obviously all of your Lordships will agree that gross overcharging is intolerable and should not take place. But I cannot commit my right honourable friend as to whether these two sections of the Development of Tourism Act will be brought into effect, and he has not yet had any advice from the British Tourist Authority.