§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in the light of comments in paragraph 417 of the 1988–89 report by the Local Government Ombudsman, he has any plans to ban unfair trading practices in respect of funeral services by certain local councils.
§ Mr. Gummer[holding answer 20 July 1989]: Behaviour such as that of Wear Valley district council, both in maladministration by discriminating between local traders and in refusing to implement the local ombudsman's recommendations for compensation, is unacceptable. However, on the information available, what appears to have occurred is an abuse of the council's power to provide information rather than any unfair trading practice.