Day 055 - 25 Nov 94 - Page 28

     
     1        advertising on diet; he used the word "diet".
     2        A.  Yes.  There is a Government funded research programme
     3        currently underway.
     4
     5   MR. MORRIS:  So, in other words, is there a recognition in that
     6        letter that -----
     7
     8   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Have I not got to read the letter?
     9
    10   MR. MORRIS:  Yes.
    11
    12   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I have read the letter.
    13
    14   MR. MORRIS:  You can draw your own conclusions.
    15
    16   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I wonder whether Ms. Dibb can add anything
    17        more to it?
    18
    19   MR. MORRIS:  Was there anything else you wanted to say about
    20        either that letter from Mr. Willis or the letter of
         10th October in regard to the position of the NFA?
    22        A.  Yes.  The NFA has responded to these proposals and has
    23        broadly welcomed the proposals with suggestions for minor
    24        amendments, but has welcomed particularly the placing of
    25        food advertising in its own section and the emphasis that
    26        the preamble to that section does place on the role of
    27        advertising in relation towards progress, towards national
    28        dietary improvement.
    29
    30        The area that we consider that these proposals do not go
    31        far enough is that they still focus purely on individual
    32        adverts, and the ITC has not in this review made any
    33        proposals that look at the cumulative effect of
    34        advertising.  It was in that context that our
    35        recommendations, which the ITC had said they are not
    36        considering at this stage, were made.
    37
    38   Q.   There is also nothing in the proposals about the criticisms
    39        you made before, that the ITC was not carrying out its own
    40        guidelines adequately; that whole area is not addressed at
         all, is it, by the proposed amendments?
    42        A.  Not specifically, though in discussions with the ITC,
    43        I do believe that the placing of food in its own category
    44        and the preamble that is on page 1 of the proposed new
    45        section code does give greater salience to the requirements
    46        that are made of food advertisers.  In this context, I hope
    47        that if these proposals are implemented, particularly in
    48        relation to food advertising, we will see a greater
    49        emphasis on the spirit and not just the letter of the law.
    50        But of course that will need to be tested in practice once 
    51        the proposals become new rules. 
    52 
    53   Q.   Presumably -- if I can ask a leading question -- they will
    54        still be open to interpretation?
    55        A.  Yes.
    56
    57   Q.   Very briefly, if we can just look at the proposals?  We
    58        have obviously dealt with all the background issues on all
    59        of them.  I just want to say, if you have any comments,
    60        I will just go through it page by page.