Government to crack down on small print after Which? report reveals some T&Cs are longer than Shakespeare play

Business Secretary Sajid Javid is launching a review of baffling terms and conditions following the report

Business Secretary Sajid Javid: 'It seems like everything we buy these days comes with the line 'terms and conditions apply' (Getty Images)

Are you fed up with being tricked by the small print? So is the Business Secretary, Sajid Javid. "It seems like everything we buy these days comes with the line 'terms and conditions apply' – whether it is a train ticket, car insurance or downloading an app," he said this week.

He has had enough and is tomorrow launching a review of baffling terms and conditions after a report by the consumer group Which? on car and travel insurance found that the small print on some policies ran to more than 38,000 words – longer than Shakespeare's Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet.

Richard Lloyd, of Which?, said: "Consumers shouldn't have to read endless pages of baffling jargon just to ensure there are no nasty surprises in the terms and conditions."

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills wants to hear from you if you have had a bad experience with small print. As part of its call for evidence, the Government is also seeking views on the creation of a power to apply civil fines to businesses that do not comply with consumer protection rules.

Go online to Gov.uk and click on "consultations" to find the call for evidence.