§ Mr. Allen McKayTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what action he proposes to take arising as a result of his meeting with the Director General of Fair Trading, representatives of the local authority organisations, the motor industry and consumer groups.
§ Mr. ButcherIt was agreed at that meeting that it was desirable to amend section 60 of the Road Traffic Act 1972 to make it easier for trading standards officers to deal with the sellers of unroadworthy vehicles. It was also agreed that a number of other suggestions to help combat the sale of unroadworthy vehicles and the fraudulent alteration of odometers would be examined further. My Department and the Department of Transport are keeping in touch with the Office of Fair Trading and the various interested parties will be kept informed of progress on this matter.
§ Mr. Allen McKayTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what legislative measures he intends taking to control fraud dishonesty and negligence in the used car trade as highlighted in recent reports published by local authority associations and the Consumers Association on abuses in the motor trade.
§ Mr. ButcherFraud, dishonesty and negligence, are already extensively controlled by the criminal and civil law and I do not consider that any major new legislative measures are necessary or desirable. However, my Department and the Department of Transport are looking at a number of suggestions for making the existing law easier to enforce and apply.