Miss Elaine Burton: The hon. Lady the Member for Belfast, West (Mrs. McLaughlin) has been putting up her own Aunt Sallies and knocking them down. My hon. Friends and I have always been at great pains to stress that we do not by any means think that all or the majority of traders are disreputable. We think that most of them are entirely reputable. What we have been fighting against, in spite of the Government,...
Miss Elaine Burton: Surely, as a member of the advertising profession, the hon. Member is aware that that self-same advertisement for toothpaste, regarding which the President of the Board of Trade was unable to prosecute, is now not accepted by television because the Medical Research Council committee which deals with advertisements for the I.T.A. found that the objection was substantiated and that the...
Miss Elaine Burton: Rubbish.
Miss Elaine Burton: It had better be a better one than the last.
Miss Elaine Burton: Thank you.
Miss Elaine Burton: asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the qualifications of the members of the Committee appointed to consider the whole question of consumer protection.
Miss Elaine Burton: Is the President of the Board of Trade aware that there is real concern among interested opinion as to which members of the Committee possess detailed consumer knowledge? Can he tell the House? Secondly, is he aware that the invitations sent out to members of the Committee go into much more detail about the terms of reference than did the reply which was given to the House? Would he consider...
Miss Elaine Burton: asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is now in a position to make a statement upon the discussions which commenced in September last between the British Standards Institution and footwear manufacturers on standards for certain components of children's shoes; and when he expects these to be concluded.
Miss Elaine Burton: If the right hon. Gentleman is sincere in wanting to hurry this, and he has said that he does, is he not aware that more than a year ago we were told that deadlock had been reached over children's footwear and that on 7th April this year we were told that these discussions had been commenced? Does he know that the B.S.I. has not fixed any date for further discussions, and will he do...
Miss Elaine Burton: Since I first raised this matter of children's footwear some five years ago, does not the right hon. Gentleman think it is time by now for him to have taken these powers?
Miss Elaine Burton: asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is now in a position to make a statement concerning the progress made by the British Standards Institution on a national approvals scheme being made in conjunction with the electrical industry, discussions of which commenced in October, 1957.
Miss Elaine Burton: Does the right hon. Gentleman intend that the subjects of children's footwear and electrical standards might be referred to the Committee on consumers' protection which is now sitting?
Miss Elaine Burton: asked the President of the Board of Trade what action has been taken by his Department concerning the three cases there was aprima facieassumption that a deliberate breach of the law had been committed under the requirements of the Advertisements (Hire Purchase) Act, 1957.
Miss Elaine Burton: What is the public to do? Is the President of the Board of Trade aware that we would not have learned even this information if I had not raised this subject in the House on 7th May, 14th May, 4th June, 16th June and today? Is the right hon. Gentleman further aware that on 16th June his Parliamentary Secretary told us that, of the nine cases that the Department had actually looked at, three...
Miss Elaine Burton: What happens to the consumers who have bought goods and suffered? What use is it to them that the advertisements may not be repeated? They have already been sold a pup. Why does not the President of the Board of Trade do something about it?
Miss Elaine Burton: The Minister will probably have seen today's Manchester Guardian. He will remember that when the three hon. Members who represent the three Coventry divisions saw him on the question of a contract for the Argosy, he was courteous and gave full details which we took back to Coventry. But when we discussed the matter with shop stewards and workers, they were not convinced that the delay which...
Miss Elaine Burton: asked the Minister of Health (1) whether the purchase of the site for the new general hospital at Coventry has now been completed; (2) whether he has now given his approval to the proposal of the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board concerning the schedule of accommodation for the new general hospital at Coventry; (3) if he is now in a position to give an actual starting date for construction...
Miss Elaine Burton: Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the three Answers are equally unsatisfactory and a disgrace? As to the first one, can he tell me why this delay is still going on? Does he know that it is more than two years ago since it was agreed with his Ministry and with the owners about the acquisition of this site? Will he tell me why it is still not completed? Secondly, is he aware that...
Miss Elaine Burton: On a point of order. As I had three Questions, Mr. Speaker, will you allow me to ask another supplementary question?
Miss Elaine Burton: asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that confusion exists among traders as to the requirements of the Advertisements (Hire Purchase) Act, 1957, and, in particular, whether an advertisement which otherwise falls within the scope of the Act is removed from it by inclusion of the word "from", in front of an indication of the amount or fraction of the deposit or in front...
