asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce legislation to amend the hire purchase laws.

This would not be appropriate in advance of a detailed study of the Report of the Committee on Consumer Credit, which is expected to be ready very shortly.

I appreciate the Minister's reply in that respect, but will he bear in mind that most hire-purchase agreements are completely incomprehensible to me, and to the average man in the street—[Interruption.]—and to lawyers? Will he give an undertaking that he will study the Crowther Report as a matter of urgency?

I have great sympathy with the hon. Member on that point. I give that undertaking—as soon as the report is received.

Is it the intention of my hon. Friend that the Government's own observations on the Crowther Report will be published at the same time, or speedily thereafter?

No, Sir. The Crowther Report will first need a certain amount of study. Before I can answer my hon. Friend I should like to see the report, which is not yet available.