Day 047 - 07 Nov 94 - Page 41


     
     1
     2   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  This was one of the documents which was
     3        mentioned the other day, but I have not had a copy yet.  I
     4        think I was offered a copy and said I would take it in due
     5        course.
     6
     7   MS. STEEL:  Can you possibly check, because I have got a
     8        feeling----
     9
    10   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Is it behind something?
    11
    12   MS. STEEL:  It did actually get handed up.
    13
    14   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Do you remember there was a discussion about
    15        the standards of surveys?  I do not recall ever actually
    16        receiving a document at that time.  Do you want me to have
    17        a copy now?  I have also been handed a National Food
    18        Alliance press release and a newsletter.  Where shall I put
    19        these?
    20
    21   MS. STEEL:  Behind Sue Dibb.
    22
    23   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Immediately before Miss Gallatley's
    24        statement?
    25
    26   MS. STEEL:  Yes.  It says that a representative sample of 633
    27        parents with children under the age of 15 were asked four
    28        questions between the 16th and 20th June of this year.
    29        Question 1 was:  "I think there should be tougher
    30        restrictions on the advertising of foods and soft drinks to
    31        children", and 64 percent of parents agreed with this
    32        statement, 26 percent disagreed.  In fact, 69 percent of
    33        mothers agreed with it, which was more than fathers.
    34
    35        Do you not think that that indicates that there is a
    36        considerable body of concern about the effects of
    37        advertising on children?
    38        A.  I think the question is: what do they believe the
    39        restrictions are?  When it says "there should be tougher
    40        restrictions", one can interpret this sentence several
    41        ways.  One can interpret it as meaning that there should be
    42        tougher restrictions on advertising to children than on
    43        advertising to adults; and that, I believe, is how the
    44        parents have interpreted that question.
    45
    46        You will understand that on the survey a number of
    47        questions are added to a long list of questions on
    48        different subjects.  This is not research in depth.  It is
    49        a very useful way of getting an indication of people's
    50        views, but it does depend on the wording of a question. 
    51 
    52        It is my view that the interpretation of this question by 
    53        parents has been that there should be tougher restrictions
    54        on advertising to children than on advertising to adults;
    55        and, indeed, we have such tougher restrictions now.
    56
    57   Q.   Have you got any evidence or reason for believing that that
    58        is the way the parents interpreted the question?
    59        A.  Yes, indeed we have.  It is because we know how few
    60        complaints there are about the advertising of food and soft

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