§ Mr. Phillip Oppenheimasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he intends to introduce legislation to strengthen the consumer protection offered to people taking package holidays, with regard to the overbooking of chartered holiday flights; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he intends to introduce legislation to strengthen the consumer protection offered to people taking package holidays with regard to the overbooking of holiday accommodation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HowardThe Government have no plans to legislate in these areas at present. Tour operators are already bound by legislation such as the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 and the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982. In addition, holiday makers who travel with tour operators belonging to the Association of British Travel Agents, which represents the great majority of the United Kingdom travel industry, receive further protection by virtue of the association's code of conduct for tour operators. This contains provisions on the overbooking of holiday accommodation. It also contains provisions on other holiday alterations, which embrace changes to charter flights, and which have been strengthened with effect from the 1986–87 winter season. The Government favour self-regulation by the industry provided that the code and associated conciliation facilities operate effectively.
§ Mr. Phillip Oppenheimasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any plans to seek to extend existing consumer protection legislation to the sales techniques used by companies to sell time-share properties, with particular regard to national time-share competitions organised by British companies; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HowardI have no plans at present to introduce such new legislation. I recognise the concern that arises from the selling methods used by some of those engaged in marketing time-share and my Department will shortly be issuing a checklist to which consumers may refer when they are approached about time-share purchases.