§ Mr. John Grantasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will ask the Office of Fair Trading to investigate retail bargain sale offers in order to ascertain the extent to which the goods displayed are being sold at reduced rather than at increased price levels during the period of the sale.
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§ Mr. EyreNo. A wide range of misleading price comparisons and value claims are already prohibited as a result of the Price Marking (Bargain Offers) Order 1979 as amended. Earlier this year my right hon. Friend the Minister for Consumer Affairs asked the Director-General to review the order and advise her whether changes should be made in the law. She indicated that she was anxious to prohibit misleading price comparisons without preventing honest traders from drawing attention to the fact that they quoted competitive prices. The Director-General published his report on 29 October. My right hon. Friend placed copies in the Library. She told my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson) that she would consider the report urgently and would, of course, consult interested parties before deciding what action to take. Meanwhile, she hoped that those affected by the order would consider and let her have their views on the Director-General's recommendations. If the hon. Gentleman has any proposals for changes in the law I suggest that he should write to my right hon. Friend who will, I am sure, be glad to consider them in the context of the Director-General's report.
§ Mr. John Grantasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will ask the Director General of Fair Trading to investigate the practice of certain department stores of providing package deal store visits for shoppers after normal hours and, in particular, the differential pricing policy that this involves.
§ Mr. EyreNo. There does not appear to be evidence to suggest that this practice is sufficiently widespread to justify an investigation.