§ Mr. Luceasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will give a list of the number of references on consumer trade practices by the Director General of Fair Trading to the Consumer Protection Advisory Committee under Part II of the Fair Trading Act 1973 giving the subject of each reference, the date each reference was made and the action that she has subsequently taken.
Mr. Alan WilliamsThe Director General has made three such references. The first, on 24th April 1974, was about the purported exclusion of the inalienable rights of consumers and failure to explain the existence of these rights. The Committee reported on 3rd September 1974 and I informed the House on 2nd December 1974 that after further consultations I would use the Department's order-making powers to implement the Committee's recommendations. These consultations are now almost complete, and I hope to be able to present a draft 601W order for the approval of Parliament in the near future.
The second reference, on 16th May 1974, concerned prepayment in mail order transactions and in shops. The Committee reported on 15th November 1974. I have been taking legal advice on certain difficulties presented by the proposals in the reference. However, I intend to lay the Committee's report before Parliament next month together with a statement of the action I propose to take. The third reference, on 25th March 1975, concerned the practice of seeking to sell goods without revealing that they are being sold in the course of a business. The Committee reported on 23rd June 1975. I hope to publish the report, which generally agrees with the Director General's proposals and to take action to implement them, within the next two months.