§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent representations she has received about the relaxation of guidelines over branding of teaching materials and activities by corporate sponsors. [10952]
§ Mr. TimmsIn conjunction with the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers and the Consumers Association, we recently issued revised guidance, "Commercial Activities in Schools: Best Practice Principles". It revises and updates guidance produced by the National Consumers Council in 1996. Far from being a relaxation of criteria, the guidance makes it clear that schools should satisfy themselves that the educational benefits of the commercial activity outweigh the potential disadvantages; that explicit sales messages should be avoided wherever possible; and that the level of any branding should be appropriate to the activity. I have placed a copy of "Commercial Activities in Schools: Best Practice Principles" in the House of Commons Library.
We have received no recent representations about the new guidelines.