asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that the Department of Finance have, on the advice of the Income Tax Commission, introduced a greatly simplified and easily comprehensible income tax form for the use of the general public; and whether he will take steps to ensure that similar simplified and easily comprehensible forms should be introduced for (a) hire-purchase agreements and (b) motor insurance agreements of all kinds.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hire-Purchase and Motor Insurance Forms.
24.
The Hire Purchase Act, 1946 requires for the protection of hirers that all hire-purchase agreement forms must contain certain particulars. This has the effect of standardising forms to some extent. Any further attempt to prescribe the contents of these forms would in my view constitute undue interference with freedom of contract.
The form of motor insurance policies is a feature of the detailed administration of their business by insurance companies in which I have no power to intervene. The Road Traffic Act, 1961 requires, however, that motor insurance policies must comply with certain conditions before they can be regarded as approved policies for the purposes of the Act. This has the effect of standardising policies to some extent.