§ Mr. CHORLTONasked the Attorney-General whether he is aware of the practice of certain finance companies or their representatives in obtaining the signatures of householders or their wives to hire-purchase agreements without adequate explanation of their contents; that many such agreements provide that on failure to pay any instalment the full selling price, less a nominal amount, shall become payable and be recoverable at once, although the goods must be returned to the hirer; and that many such agreements provide that the selling price shall be payable in London and thus prevent the hirer defending himself owing to the expense of travelling; and what steps he proposes to take to prevent the injustice of such practices?
The ATTORNEY-GENERALI am not aware of the prevalence of the practices referred to. My hon. Friend will appreciate the difficulty of protecting those who sign contracts without reading and understanding their terms. I am, however,2224W always ready to consider any facts which and may be brought to my notice with a view to considering whether any action is justifiable or possible.