§ 3.18 p.m.
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what date has now been agreed for the fourth meeting of the EEC Consumer Affairs Ministers and what business outstanding from the third meeting held on 5th June remains to be decided.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Lucas of Chilworth)My Lords, the decision of whether or not a particular Council of Ministers should take place lies at the discretion of the presidency. The Republic of Ireland currently holds this position and have not confirmed their intention to hold a Council of 1012 consumer Ministers. Of the issues discussed at the 5th June Council the proposed Directives on product liability, doorstep selling and the price indications of foodstuffs and of non-food products remain outstanding.
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, is the Minister aware from his file that when the noble Lord, Lord Belstead, dealt with these matters he told me that he hoped that the incoming president, who was the Irish Minister, would be able to fix a meeting for December, that we have now practically reached December and we are no further on? Might I ask the Minister, arising from that, whether he realises from the file that this is an interminable process on which we have made no progress at all? Can he give me, as a supporter of the EEC, any indication as to what we could do to hasten these matters? Would it not seem at present that our consumer affairs Minister is simply wasting time when he goes there and that in between for several months he gets no response at all?
§ Lord Lucas of ChilworthMy Lords, I am aware of the interchange of question and answer between the noble Baroness and my noble friend. I do not think that I can agree with her that no progress has been made. For example, progress was made on advertising. Some progress has been made on doorstep selling, although some matters are still outstanding. The noble Baroness is more aware than perhaps I am because with a number of countries involved these matters take what appears to us to be a long time.
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, if the Minister would allow me to ask this question, does he recall that these three Directives which he has just mentioned are still outstanding? I am not saying whether or not progress has been made. Does he further realise that they have been outstanding since the mid-1970s? Can he please tell the House when he expects that the next meeting of the Ministers for Consumer Affairs is likely to be held?
§ Lord Lucas of ChilworthMy Lords, since the fixing of a meeting is for the presidency, and as I do not have the ear of the presidency, I am unable to answer that question.
§ Lord SainsburyMy Lords, can the Minister tell the House whether a draft Directive on unfair advertising is under consideration, and what the attitude of the Government would be if that were so?
§ Lord Lucas of ChilworthMy Lords, the draft Directive on misleading advertising was adopted on 10th September. Member states have until 1st October 1986 to implement this directive. My right honourable friend is having consultations with interested parties in relation to the method whereby the United Kingdom will implement the directive. I can tell the noble Lord that it is intended that this shall be by giving the Director-General of Fair Trading further powers.
§ Lord SainsburyMy Lords, the Minister has not answered my question. I know all about the first Directive on advertising and that it has now been 1013 agreed. I am asking whether another Directive about unfair advertising is under consideration and what is the attitude of the Government to that draft Directive.
§ Lord Lucas of ChilworthMy Lords, I hope that I am not being obtuse but so far as I am aware we have one Directive and that is the Directive on misleading advertising. It may have a longer title such as "unfair and misleading", but I know of no other draft Directive on the subject matter of advertising.
Lord Bruce of DoningtonMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that at the moment there is a backlog of over 250 draft Directives floating about, including many on consumer affairs? Will the noble Lord use his good offices with his right honourable friend the Prime Minister to ensure that this backlog, which has been in existence for many years, is discussed at the next Summit meeting with a view to the Community getting a move on in some of these matters?
§ Lord Lucas of ChilworthMy Lords, I would not contest the figures of the noble Lord, Lord Bruce of Donington. I did not know that there were that many draft Directives on innumerable affairs since the original Question was on consumer affairs. I regret that I cannot make further comment on the others. As for drawing the attention of my right honourable friend the Prime Minister to this matter, I have no doubt that her private office will have their attention drawn to it by virtue of the noble Lord's question.