Section 4 of the Broadcasting Act, 1990, provides that I have the power to draw up and amend, from time to time as I think appropriate, codes governing standards, practice and prohibitions in advertising and other forms of commercial promotion in broadcasting.
Chapter 14 of the current codes imposes a number of restrictions on advertisers with regard to advertising and children's programmes, including prohibitions on advertisements which exploit children's inexperience or credulity or advertisements which encourage minors to persuade their parents or others to purchase or make inquiries about goods or services being advertised. Chapter 14 reflects the requirement of Directive 98/522/EEC, the television without frontiers directive. I have no plans at present to introduce further restrictions in this area.