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Dept of Trade and Industry

Answer

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further measures she is planning to prevent the publication of misleading advertising; and if she will list those advertisers issued with court orders in each year since 2000 to prevent the continued publication of misleading advertising. [129937] Mr. Sutcliffe: Non-broadcast advertising is controlled mainly by self-regulation under which the Advertising Standards Authority is responsible for ensuring compliance with the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing. Providing legislative backing to the Code is the Control of Misleading Advertising Regulations 1988, which empowers the Office of Fair Trading to investigate complaints about misleading advertisements, and where necessary, to seek injunctions against further publication. OFT also have powers under the Enterprise Act (previously under the Stop Now Orders (EC Directive) Regulations 2001) to take action against misleading advertising that harms the collective interests of consumers. These powers are shared by Trading Standards Services. I have no plans to introduce any further measures in relation to misleading advertising. During the period 2002-03, OFT obtained written assurances/undertakings in 25 cases. OFT obtained no Court Orders in 2000 or 2001. Court Orders obtained during 2002-03 were as follows: _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Court Order Advertiser 6 March 2002 Interim Injunction CMARS Planet Telecom plc 192enquiries.com Ltd. Peter Hutcheon John Tonge 30 May 2002 Final Injunction CMARS Data Protection Agency Services Ltd. Michael Sullivan 25 June 2002 Interim Injunction CMARS DPARS Ltd. Gary McNeish (both also trading as Data Protection Act Registration Service) 10 July 2002 Court Order (Stop Now Orders (EC John Christopher Ineson Blake Hamilton Directive) Regulations 2001) Ltd. Property Associates (UK) Ltd. 22 July 2002 Final Injunction CMARS Planet Telecom plc Peter Hutcheon John Tonge 12 November 2002 Final Injunction CMARS DPARS Ltd. Gary McNeish (both trading as Data Protection Act Registration Service) 7 August 2003 Interim Injunction CMARS Christopher Yewdall _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

129937; 410 c874W;410 c872W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Court orders Injunctions Publishing Misleading advertising Regulation

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk