I am always unhappy about electronic equipment being used in the House, but that is the most valid use of it that I have yet heard. Dr. Tanya Byron is conducting a review. I am not saying that it was the prompting of the hon. Member for Canterbury that led...

I am always unhappy about electronic equipment being used in the House, but that is the most valid use of it that I have yet heard. Dr. Tanya Byron is conducting a review. I am not saying that it was the prompting of the hon. Member for Canterbury that led...

I should know better than ever to attempt to quote law in the presence of a distinguished lawyer, but as we are talking about legislation, what about article 10 of the European convention on human rights on freedom of expression, enshrined in the Human Rights Act 1998? Surely my hon....

I should know better than ever to attempt to quote law in the presence of a distinguished lawyer, but as we are talking about legislation, what about article 10 of the European convention on human rights on freedom of expression, enshrined in the Human Rights Act 1998? Surely my hon....

I hesitate to intervene on my hon. Friend, but may I say that it is two years since I smoked a cigarette and that I have not had a drink since Ash Wednesday? I am grateful, however, for my hon. Friend's thoughts about my health.

I hesitate to intervene on my hon. Friend, but may I say that it is two years since I smoked a cigarette and that I have not had a drink since Ash Wednesday? I am grateful, however, for my hon. Friend's thoughts about my health.

I weep for them.

I weep for them.

Oh yes.

Oh yes.

As one who has lead a fairly sheltered life, despite appearances to the contrary, I too have had a look at some material in connection with this matter. Surely the point about ““SS Extermination Camp”” is not that it is a bad film but that it is a film about...

As one who has lead a fairly sheltered life, despite appearances to the contrary, I too have had a look at some material in connection with this matter. Surely the point about ““SS Extermination Camp”” is not that it is a bad film but that it is a film about...

I am particularly impressed that the hon. Gentleman is present on a day when there is to be such an important family production, which I hope is successful. Surely his point is that the criteria change every four years, following a series of inputs. Why will he not allow the...

I am particularly impressed that the hon. Gentleman is present on a day when there is to be such an important family production, which I hope is successful. Surely his point is that the criteria change every four years, following a series of inputs. Why will he not allow the...

On that point, and bearing in mind the comments made earlier by my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore), is the hon. Gentleman entirely comfortable with the representational nature of the body that he described? Does he feel that it accurately reflects this country in all its aspects...

On that point, and bearing in mind the comments made earlier by my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore), is the hon. Gentleman entirely comfortable with the representational nature of the body that he described? Does he feel that it accurately reflects this country in all its aspects...

Is not my right hon. Friend's point about that dark abyss beyond R18 one of the principal motivators of the hon. Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier)? None of us is prudish. I do not think that any of us are objecting to consenting adults appearing in films, and if consenting...

Is not my right hon. Friend's point about that dark abyss beyond R18 one of the principal motivators of the hon. Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier)? None of us is prudish. I do not think that any of us are objecting to consenting adults appearing in films, and if consenting...

The hon. Gentleman has an almost embarrassingly encyclopaedic knowledge of schlock and other film categories, to which I cede him first place. He rightly talks about the appalling production standards, vile script and general tackiness of ““SS Experiment Camp””, but is there not a danger of getting into a situation...

The hon. Gentleman has an almost embarrassingly encyclopaedic knowledge of schlock and other film categories, to which I cede him first place. He rightly talks about the appalling production standards, vile script and general tackiness of ““SS Experiment Camp””, but is there not a danger of getting into a situation...

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Maldon and East Chelmsford (Mr. Whittingdale), who speaks with extraordinary erudition, which probably shows that many a night has been spent studying the subject. It is a great honour to be associated with the Bill promoted by the hon. Member...

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Maldon and East Chelmsford (Mr. Whittingdale), who speaks with extraordinary erudition, which probably shows that many a night has been spent studying the subject. It is a great honour to be associated with the Bill promoted by the hon. Member...

Far too many of my colleagues signed it. I shall not go as far down the road to iconoclasm as the hon. Member for Maldon and East Chelmsford trod so elegantly. In one speech, he not only destroyed the principle of early-day motions, saying that in many cases constituents pressed...

Far too many of my colleagues signed it. I shall not go as far down the road to iconoclasm as the hon. Member for Maldon and East Chelmsford trod so elegantly. In one speech, he not only destroyed the principle of early-day motions, saying that in many cases constituents pressed...

Sorry, it is the British Board of Film Classification—the BBFC. Forgive me.

Sorry, it is the British Board of Film Classification—the BBFC. Forgive me.

As always, I defer to my right hon. Friend. The Government might say that this is not about censorship but about classification. That is arguing about angels dancing on the head of a pin. What is classification if it is not censorship? What is censorship if it is not classification?...

As always, I defer to my right hon. Friend. The Government might say that this is not about censorship but about classification. That is arguing about angels dancing on the head of a pin. What is classification if it is not censorship? What is censorship if it is not classification?...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that intervention. He has exposed one of the more worrying aspects of the whole argument: imitation. What concerns me about his point and the point I was making about ““Battle Royale”” is the implication that in such films people are disposable. That denigrates the...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that intervention. He has exposed one of the more worrying aspects of the whole argument: imitation. What concerns me about his point and the point I was making about ““Battle Royale”” is the implication that in such films people are disposable. That denigrates the...

But I think I know someone who does; I give way to the hon. Gentleman.

But I think I know someone who does; I give way to the hon. Gentleman.

The hon. Gentleman makes a powerful point. Sadly, since my local authority fell into the grasping hands of the Conservatives, my intercourse with that previously august body has been less than fruitful. None the less, the hon. Gentleman is absolutely right—technically—but what does a local authority do when a classified...

The hon. Gentleman makes a powerful point. Sadly, since my local authority fell into the grasping hands of the Conservatives, my intercourse with that previously august body has been less than fruitful. None the less, the hon. Gentleman is absolutely right—technically—but what does a local authority do when a classified...

We can pursue the argument about which Select Committee might be the link in a moment, but first I give way to my hon. Friend.

We can pursue the argument about which Select Committee might be the link in a moment, but first I give way to my hon. Friend.

Only four out of many hundreds of local authorities. I do not argue with the fact that they should have that power. If they downgrade a classification, so be it, but I am looking for a link with the House—

Only four out of many hundreds of local authorities. I do not argue with the fact that they should have that power. If they downgrade a classification, so be it, but I am looking for a link with the House—

I hope to answer the question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) in a moment; I give way to the hon. Gentleman.

I hope to answer the question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) in a moment; I give way to the hon. Gentleman.