Written question asked by Gordon Prentice (Labour) on Thursday, 26 October 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 2 November 2000. It was answered by Kim Howells (Labour) on Thursday, 2 November 2000 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps he is taking to ensure that widescreen televisions sold in the UK are clearly labelled to distinguish whether they are digital or analogue.

Answer: Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to ensure that widescreen televisions sold in the UK are clearly labelled to distinguish whether they are digital or analogue. [135908] Dr. Howells: Consumers should be able to make an informed choice between buying an integrated digital television and an analogue television with a set top box in order to receive digital broadcasts. The Trade Descriptions Act 1968 prohibits false or misleading descriptions of products--whether by means of a label or by any other means, such as an oral statement. It would therefore be an offence to describe a television set falsely and, if there are instances where traders are misdescribing analogue TVs as digital, I would urge consumers to get in touch with their local trading standards department. My Department is contacting the Local Authorities Co-Ordinating Body on Food and Trading Standards (Lacots) to establish the nature and extent of any problem in this area.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 355 c583W; 135908
Session: 1999-00
Subjects: Consumers Digital broadcasting Labelling Protection Television Trading standards Trade descriptions
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk