§ Mr. Kimballasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what progress has been made by the Director General of Fair Trading in his discussions with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons about the recommendations in the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's Report on the Supply of Veterinary Services in Relation to Restrictions on Advertising; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John FraserThe Director General of Fair Trading and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons have agreed that the question of relaxing 163W advertising restrictions should be considered during this year's triennial revision of the College's Guide to Professional Conduct. I understand that the Director General hopes that constructive suggestions will come from within the profession itself, but he has suggested, as a basis for discussion, that all veterinarians might be permitted to advertise subject to specific restraints laid down by the College.
He has suggested that the College might publish a list of informative facts which it would allow members to include in advertisements, together with a list of prohibited items. The College might wish to ensure that it had an opportunity to give its prior approval to advertisements. The Director General envisaged that these arrangements might enable basic facts such as addresses, telephone numbers, surgery hours, qualifications and convenience of location to be made known in stated media by individual practices. Advertisements might also indicate the fees for some of the more routine services, or at least state that a fee for such services would be quoted in advance.
Finally, the Director General has suggested that veterinarians should not be prevented by their obligation to offer first aid to all types of animals in an emergency from advertising that they normally treat certain species of animals. Indeed, this obligation, and the various methods by which different practices carry it out, could itself be made more widely known through advertising.