Day 065 - 09 Dec 94 - Page 58
1 MR. RAMPTON: I assure I did not suspect that it was so because
2 MORI would never have allowed it, would they? You tell us
3 they approved your summary?
4 A. Oh, indeed, they did, yes.
5
6 Q. Can I ask you to look at the summary itself? It is
7 probably the easiest way of doing it? It is the second
8 page where the questions are set out.
9 A. Yes.
10
11 Q. The first question was: "I think there should be tougher
12 restrictions on the advertising of foods and soft drinks to
13 children". I take it that no explanation was given by the
14 interrogator, the pollster, of what that meant or what the
15 words "tougher restrictions" meant?
16 A. This was -- is this in relation to the question that
17 arose previously in discussion about this research?
18
19 Q. No, I just want to know if I am right, that is all.
20 A. Well, let me say two things on this. Firstly, there
21 was some discussion, I believe, previously as to whether
22 people might believe that this did not mean tougher
23 restrictions as opposed to now, that tougher restrictions
24 on children as opposed to any other group in society. As
25 I think I have already referred back, MORI were quite clear
26 and were prepared, if it was thought necessary, to provide
27 evidence on that, that in their great deal of experience
28 'tougher restrictions' meant as opposed to now. That is
29 how they phrased their questions and that is generally
30 understood.
31
32 In relation to whether parents may know what the
33 restrictions that there are now in existence, whether they
34 may know what they are, this was in response to how they
35 experience it. Of course, I do not think anybody, with the
36 exception of a few people possibly inside this room and a
37 few other people who need to know it for their work, would
38 know every last little detail of the ITC codes of practice,
39 but they certainly know what they see and what their
40 children see.
41
42 Q. Sometimes in a survey of this kind, Ms. Dibb, one finds,
43 does one not, that there is a gradation of opinion asked
44 for. It says: Do you agree strongly, quite strongly, do
45 not agree, disagree, disagree quite strongly, disagree
46 strongly? You sometimes see that gradation, that range of
47 opinion?
48 A. Yes.
49
50 Q. That was not done in this case, was it?
51 A. No, it was not.
52
53 Q. The second question was: Current food advertising
54 encourages children to eat a healthy balanced diet. There
55 was no question to the effect: Do you think it the
56 function of advertising to encourage children to eat a
57 healthy balanced diet, was there?
58 A. That was not the question, no.
59
60 Q. No, it was not. Question 3 was: "I often end up buying
