§
Amendment made:
In page 7, line 25, leave out the word "eleven," and insert instead thereof the word "nine."—[Sir P. Gunliffe-Lister.]
§ Colonel WEDGWOODI beg to move, in page 7, line 34, to leave out from the word "quota" to the end of the Clause.
The words which I propose to leave out were added during the Committee stage of the Bill. I do not think we can expect the right hon. Gentleman who laboured so hard to insert them to take them out now, but I do think he might compromise on the rate of film involved. When this Bill was first introduced, there had to be provided by each renter and shown by each exhibitor a certain percentage of British films, and there was no more definition of the nature of the British films frian that. But as the Bill was going through Committee upstairs, the big producers of British films, particularly the new company formed with two and a half millions of capital, came to think that the Bill providing a 20 per cent, quota was not enough. They said, "There are a lot of small British producers who can produce short films, and the result will be that the 20 per cent, quota of British films will consist almost entirely of the cheap small stuff, and not of the long super-films." So they saw the President of the Board of Trade, and they said to him, "This is 868 not good enough. We are not out simply to develop short British films. What we want to have is the opportunity of a market for our big films," and for various reasons, which are sufficiently obvious, the President of the Board of Trade agreed to a change in the Bill and the change was this: They said, "There shall be the same proportion of long films and of short films, so that we shall not have the British quota filled with short, cheap films, and there shall be a definite quota retained for the long, expensive films, the product of the big new companies."
The House will see what that change means. It means that the small number of long British films have got to a certain extent a corner in the market. There are very few firms in this country that have the capital to produce them, and they can get together and fix their price for long British films at what they like, because the exhibitors have got to show a certain proportion of long British films. There can be no corner formed in short British films, because too many companies produce them. By their Amendment, the Government hand over the exhibitors of this country to the mercy of a small group of producers of long expensive films, and demand that they shall show 20 per cent, of long British films. The Opposition upstairs expressed quite clearly their feeling about this change, and their objection to assisting in the formation of monopolies. We were beaten upstairs, 869 and we shall be beaten to-day, but I am quite certain that the country as a whole would prefer that a Conservative Government in their Acts of Parliament should not foster and bolster up monopolies in this country in order to bleed the country in the way of higher prices.
Having said that, and it being, I fear, impossible for the Government to leave out these words, I beg the Government to consider whether they cannot meet us half way by defining a long film differently from the definition in the Bill. The definition at present is a film of more than 3,000 feet, and I think that means every film which takes more than 40 minutes to show. A film of three-quarters of an hour and over is a long film. Could we not make the long film a much larger category by saying that anything over 2,000 feet, instead of 3,000 feet, shall constitute a long film? That would enable more British films to qualify for long films, and would increase the difficulties of a monopolistic product. In fact, an increase in the number of long films would mean cheaper prices for exhibitors and cheaper entrance fees for the public in the picture houses.
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe right hon. and gallant Gentleman is quite right. I cannot accept this Amendment. He is also quite right in saying that it was extensively discussed upstairs and was defeated by a majority. It was not only defeated by a majority, but also defeated, I think, on merits. If the public wants to see short films, then the programmes will be changed accordingly, and will consist predominantly of short films; but as things stand to-day, the predominantly popular programme is the programme of long films and occasional short films. The right hon. Gentleman certainly cannot base any claim on the ground that we cannot produce these feature films. At Question Time to-day I gave figures as to the stimulus given to the production of long films by this Bill, showing that we are getting a production of 60 long films or more this year, which is a complete answer on that ground. I go further, and if I may compare the right hon. Gentleman's Amendment yesterday with his speeches to-day, I can claim the right hon. Gentleman as a supporter of the Clause as it stands, and an opponent 870 of his own Amendment to-day, because yesterday he asked us to confine the quota to long films, and said that short films could look after themselves.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODThe right hon. Gentleman must not misquote me. If you are going to divide the Bill into long and short films, and it is not necessary in the interests of British industry to quota short films, why go to the trouble and expense of registering and quotaing short films, when all you want is to register and quota long films?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI am dealing with the Amendment before the House, and what we have to consider is what will happen to the Bill and the trade if we carry this Amendment. If we carry this Amendment, nobody need put a single long film into his quota. The proposition the right hon. Gentleman advanced yesterday was that the really important thing was to develop long films, and therefore the one thing to insist upon was a quota of long films. Therefore, I take it the right hon. Gentleman yesterday was my supporter. On the merits of the case, surely it is reasonable that if we are to quota we should develop, as I am glad to say we are under the stimulus of this Bill actually developing now, the small films, the bread-and-butter of the industry, and the large feature films as well. Events have justified the course the Committee took, and I ask the House to support the Committee in that decision.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYI want the House to come back to the actual position in which we find ourselves. If this Amendment were accepted, the Bill would revert to the position in which it originally was. The right hon. Gentleman has been persuaded by the few firms producing large films to insist on a long film quota, and we on this side say that it is fortifying a monopoly. That is our reason for wishing to put the Bill back to its original shape. The right hon. Gentleman spoke about the number of long feature films that were produced recently, or were in course of production. I wonder if he knows how many of these long films about which he spoke are war pictures, in the production of which the Admiralty have given extraordinary assistance? This is a time when the British Navy is very hard pressed for oil fuel, and cannot get enough to 871 carry out exercises at sea; yet in order that this British film can be produced for propaganda purposes the British Mediterranean Fleet, our only large fleet, went out to sea, and carried out heavy-gun firing at a cost of many thousands of pounds in order to produce one of these boasted long British films. The whole thing is nothing but a propaganda for militarism and war preparedness, and the very opposite of the declared intentions of His Majesty's Government. All this propaganda is a direct negation of the alleged attitude of the country. I quote that film as an example of one of the boasted long British films which the right hon. Gentleman hugs to his bosom as being one of the results of his Bill. If that is one of the results, I can only say, Heaven help him! With regard to the military films, I have heard many expressions of dissent and dissatisfaction.
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTEROne was described by the "Daily Herald" as "a great picture red-hot from the studio."
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYThe right hon. Gentleman does not hold himself responsible for the "Daily Mail," and I must not be held responsible for the "Daily Herald," but I am glad he reads the "Daily Herald," and I hope he reads the political part as well as the film part, for I can assure him it is equally excellent. That is the sort of long British film that is being produced at the present time. They are objectionable films. We had one the other day in which a famous British pilot of the Royal Air Force was sent to bomb what purportedl to be a Chinese village. The procedure was described in great detail. As the airman flew over the village explosive charges were let off by electricity under the houses and shops to represent the bombs. If that is the sort of film that the President of the Board of Trade congratulates himself on producing, I know that the Foreign Office will not allow it to go into China if they can avoid it- Such a film would do immense harm to British relations with and interests in China. I think it is horrible to see this kind of thing on the screen.
The great majority of the feature films, and I am sorry to say possibly the most successful because they receive such tremendous assistance from the War Office 872 and Admiralty and Air Ministry, are these war films, and the immediate effect has been simply to encourage these films, which are neither more nor less than propaganda films of the worst type. Therefore, I say that the right hon. Gentleman would have been far better advised to have left the Bill as it was. Let the quota be filled from the long film or the short film. The right hon. Gentleman says he wants to see British films produced. I think it extremely unfair that the renter should have a quota at all. What matters to the public is what films-are shown on the screen. I do not know what reason there is for the renter's quota at all. However, there it is. Leave the man as free a hand as you can; do not hamper him in this way, and* above all, do not rivet a monopoly on what is unfortunately an infant industry.
§ Colonel DAYI very much regret to see that the President of the Board of Trade has not readily accepted the suggestion made, because there can be no justification for the extension of the length of film that the quota should impose on the renter. No doubt the right hon. Gentleman has been pressed considerably by the representatives of the film group of the Federation of British Industries to make this addition, but when we see through some of the things that some of the most responsible of these representatives are saying in the Press, they fill many of us with alarm. I have here a cutting giving a statement of a gentleman who is a very influential man in the trade. I do not want to mention his name, but the right hon. Gentleman can have the cutting. He said:
He agreed that British companies would probably be willing to accept commissions from foreign countries to make-quota pictures, and no doubt would make-them with foreign appeal if asked, but they would not include anything that would offend British taste, especially as the class of picture so commissioned would be on a larger scale than the companies can ordinarily undertake.That statement was made by one of the most influential men and one of the controllers of the biggest producing and renting companies in this country. It is apparent there that what they have done to the right hon. Gentleman is to go to him and get him to make this provision in the Bill so as to freeze out the smaller producer, so that the small producer will not be able to do as he has done in the past, namely, produce those two-reel and 873 three-reel films which the renters have so readily purchased and which they should be able to use for quota. We see what is more or less a plot on the part of these people to freeze out the others who have really built up the business heretofore, the small producers of these two-and three-reel films. These people come into the business, many of them knowing very little about it, financing producing companies, amalgamating themselves with them, and calling themselves renters, and then in the hope that this Bill will go through as they wish it, they persuade either the right hon. Gentleman or the officers of his Department to agree that this provision is necessary for the successful running of the Bill.There is no doubt, if the right hon. Gentleman would only consider it, that the introduction of this provision will hamper the production of British films. The right hon. Gentleman should consider the enormous cost of making some of these long films. Where films of 2,000 or 2,500 feet can be made for £4,000 or £5,000 or £8,000 sometimes, when you get over the 3,000 feet film it will cost £30,000 to £40,000, and even more, because before that film can be shown to the public in the form of a 3,000 feet film they probably take 100,000 feet or 80,000 feet originally, and they have to cut and cut it down to get it in a form attractive to the public. The right hon. Gentleman at Question Time said that 60 long films had been made in the last year, but he did not tell us how many of those long films were successful. I guarantee that if he made very careful inquiries from the exhibitors of the country he would probably find that 50 per cent, were more or less films that had no attractive power, and that the exhibitors in many cases would rather not show them because they do not suit the taste of the public. That is rather a large statement, I know, and the right hon. Gentleman does not accept it. But as I am in close personal touch with the exhibitors perhaps I have a better knowledge of what the exhibitors think of some of the British films produced in the last year, than even the right hon. Gentleman has. I would rather like to know from the right hon. Gentleman how many times he has even taken the trouble to witness British films during the past year. I guarantee that he has not seen 10 of those 60. I should be surprised if he has seen five.
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERAs I am challenged and the hon. Gentleman is making a studied reflection on British films, I will tell him on what I based the statement that I made to the House at Question Time. I based it on the considered report of the exhibitors, given after trade shows to their own clients in advising them on the matter. I say advisedly, having been supplied with the marks which they have given to British films as compared with foreign films after trade show, that in the aggregate and percentage for percentage the British films compare not only fairly but favourably with the whole of the foreign films.
§ Colonel DAYI am very much obliged for that explanation. Will the right hon. Gentleman go so far as to tell us how those exhibitors have told the public what they think of the films that he hap mentioned? I believe he said something about the marks that the exhibitors have made on the films. Would the right hon. Gentleman explain to the House exactly how that system operates, because I have been an exhibitor for many years and I do not know of it?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI will tell the hon. Gentleman, because I am glad to find something that he does not know about this trade. There is a committee of exhibitors to view films at trade shows, and they issue, through the medium of their trade papers and otherwise to members of their Association, marks upon the films which are shown— not moral marks, but marks as to whether they think the films a good box-office proposition. I have here details of the films shown this year. In films carrying nine marks and over, the British percentage was 22; eight to nine marks, 12°9 per cent.: seven to eight marks, 4°2 per cent.; six to seven marks, 10 per cent.; and five to six marks, no British films at all. Thus, though comparatively few in number, the British films got on the whole a higher average of marks than the foreign films. I am very much obliged to the hon. Gentleman for giving me an opportunity to make that statement
§ Colonel DAYI did not think the right hon. Gentleman was so simple as to think that the trade would accept that report. I do not think that the majority of the trade, or rather I would 875 say that very few people in the trade, would take any notice of that report which the right hon. Gentleman has just read. Further, as the right hon. Gentleman mentions the trade papers, perhaps he is also aware that the trade papers of the cinema industry get their income out of the British films, or at least 70 per cent, of it from the advertisements of British films. I have on several occasions spoken to proprietors of cinema papers and they have told me that although they know the films are bad, they must not say so because that would ruin their papers. They rely for the sale of their papers, and to make their papers pay, on the advertisements that they get from the British renters and producers, and it is essential for them to bolster up the British film industry.
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERWhen we are discussing British trade we really ought to be careful not to libel it unnecessarily. What I have read is not something which has been said by a trade paper correspondent; it is the report of the exhibitors themselves, the exhibitors' committee, on the films which they see at their own trade shows. I leave it at that.
§ Colonel DAYI do not want to enter into controversy, because I may be drawn to mention names which I do not want to mention. That is the one thing I try to avoid. As the right hon. Gentleman has mentioned the trade papers, it may be information to the House that amongst the biggest cinema theatrical proprietors in this country the largest groups take no notice of any of these reports, and always send their own representatives to see the trade shows of all the films. The usual custom is for them to send their own booking managers and agents to see the films when they are trade shown. The persistence of the right hon. Gentleman in keeping in this proviso only confirms the fact that, instead of his trying to assist the British film industry, he is helping these few people who can control and are hoping in the future to produce the long films, which will be of great detriment to the industry.
Question put, "That the words proposed to he left out, to the word 'three' in line 39, stand part of the Bill."
§ The House divided: Ayes, 225; Noes, 142.
879| Division No. 333.] | AYES. | [14.44 p.m. |
| Acland-Troyte, Lieut.-Colonel | Bullock, Captain M. | Elliot, Major Walter E. |
| Ainsworth, Major Charles | Burton, Colonel H. W. | England, Colonel A. |
| Albery, Irving James | Cadogan, Major Hon. Edward | Erskine, Lord (Somerset, Weston-s.-M.) |
| Applin, Colonel R. V. K. | Caine, Gordon Hall | Erskine, James Malcolm Monteith |
| Ashley, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Wilfrid W. | Campbell, E. T. | Evans, Captain A. (Cardiff, South) |
| Astbury, Lieut.-Commander F. W. | Cautiey, Sir Henry S. | Everard, W. Lindsay |
| Astor, Maj. Hn. John J.(Kent, Dover) | Cayzer, Maj. Sir Herbt. R. (Prtsmth. S.) | Fairfax, Captain J. G. |
| Atholl, Duchess of | Cecil, Rt. Hon. Sir Evelyn (Aston) | Falle, Sir Bertram G. |
| Baldwin, Rt. Hon. Stanley | Chadwick, Sir Robert Burton | Fanshawe, Captain G. D. |
| Balnlel, Lord | Chamberlain, Rt. Hon. N. (Ladywood) | Fermoy, Lord |
| Banks, Reginald Mitchell | Chapman, Sir S. | Fielden, E. B. |
| Barclay-Harvey, C. M | Christie, J. A. | Forestier-Walker, Sir L. |
| Barnett, Major Sir Richard | Churchman, Sir Arthur C. | Forrest, W. |
| Barnston, Major Sir Harry | Clayton, G. C. | Foster, Sir Harry S. |
| Beckett, Sir Gervase (Leeds, N.) | Cochrane, Commander Hon. A. D. | Foxcroft, Captain C. T. |
| Bellairs, Commander Carlyon W. | Cockerill, Brig.-General Sir George | Fraser, Captain Ian |
| Bennett, A. J. | Cohen, Major J. Brunel | Fremantle, Lieut.-Colonel Francis E. |
| Bentinck, Lord Henry Cavendish- | Conway, Sir W. Martin | Ganzoni, Sir John |
| Berry, Sir George | Cooper, A. Duff | Gates, Percy |
| Bethel, A. | Couper, J. B. | Gibbs, Col. Rt. Hon. George Abraham |
| Betterton, Henry B. | Courthope, Colonel Sir G. L. | Gilmour, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir John |
| Bird, E. R. (Yorks, W. R., Skipton) | Craig, Sir Ernest (Chester, Crewe) | Goff, Sir Park |
| Boothby, R. J. G. | Croft, Brigadier-General Sir H. | Grant, Sir J. A. |
| Bourne, Captain Robert Croft | Crooke, J. Smedley (Deritend) | Grattan-Doyle, Sir N. |
| Bowater, Col. Sir T. Vansittart | Crookshank, Col. C. de W. (Berwick) | Greene, W. P. Crawford |
| Bowyer, Captain G. E. W. | Crookshank, Cpt. H.(Llndsey, Gainsbro) | Gretton, Colonel Rt. Hon. John |
| Braithwaite, Major A. N. | Cunlifte, Sir Herbert | Guinness, Rt. Hon. Walter E. |
| Brassey, Sir Leonard | Dalkeith, Earl of | Gunston, Captain D. W. |
| Briscoe, Richard George | Davies, Maj. Geo. F. (Somerset, Yeovil) | Hacking, Captain Douglas H. |
| Brittain, Sir Harry | Davies, Sir Thomas (Cirencester) | Hall, Capt. W. D'A. (Brecon & Rad.) |
| Brocklebank, C. E. R. | Davison, Sir W. H. (Kensington, S) | Hammersley, S. S. |
| Broun-Lindsay, Major H. | Dawson, Sir Phllip | Hannon, Patrick Joseph Henry |
| Brown, Brig.-Gen. H. C.(Berks, Newb'y) | Dean, Arthur Wellesley | Harland, A. |
| Buchan, John | Drewe, C. | Harmsworth, Hon. E. C. (Kent) |
| Buckingham, Sir H. | Eden, Captain Anthony | Harrison, G. J. C. |
| Bull, Rt. Hon. Sir William James | Edmondson, Major A. J. | Harvey, G. (Lambeth, Kennington) |
| Haslam, Henry C. | Mitchell, S. (Lanark, Lanark) | Sprot, Sir Alexander |
| Hawke, John Anthony | Monsell, Eyres, Com. Rt. Hon. B. M. | Stanley, Lieut.-Colonel Rt. Hon. G. F. |
| Headlam, Lieut.-Colonel C. M. | Moore, Lieut.-Colonel T. C. R. (Ayr) | Stanley, Lord (Fylde) |
| Henderson, Lt.-Col. Sir V. L. (Bootle) | Moore, Sir Newton J. | Storry-Deans, R. |
| Heneage, Lieut.-Colonel Arthur P. | Morrison, H. (Wilts, Salisbury) | Stott, Lieut.-Colonel W. H. |
| Henn, Sir Sydney H. | Murchison, Sir Kenneth | Streatfeild, Captain S. R. |
| Hennessy, Major Sir G. R. J. | Nelson, Sir Frank | Stuart, Crlchton-, Lord C. |
| Hilton, Cecil | Nicholson, Col. Rt. Hon. W.G.(Ptrsf'ld.) | Styles, Captain H. Walter |
| Hope, Capt. A. O. J. (Warw'k, Nun.) | Nuttall, Ellis | Sueter, Rear-Admiral Murray Fraser |
| Hope, Sir Harry (Forfar) | Oman, Sir Charles William C. | Templeton, W. P. |
| Hopkins, J. W. W. | Penny, Frederick George | Thorn, Lt.-Col. J. G. (Dumbarton) |
| Hopkinson, Sir A. (Eng. Universities) | Perkins, Colonel E. K. | Thompson, Luke (Sunderland) |
| Howard-Bury, Colonel C. K. | Perring, Sir William George | Thomson, F. C. (Aberdeen, S.) |
| Hume, Sir G. H. | Phillpson, Mabel | Thomson, Rt. Hon. Sir W. Mitchell- |
| Huntingfield, Lord | Pilcher, G. | Tinne, J. A. |
| Hurst, Gerald B. | Pliditch, Sir Philip | Turton, Sir Edmund Russborough |
| Iliffe, Sir Edward M. | Power, Sir John Cecil | Vaughan-Morgan, Col. K. P. |
| Inskip, Sir Thomas Walker H. | Price, Major C. W. M. | Waddington, R. |
| James, Lieut.-Colonel Hon. Cuthbert | Raine, Sir Walter | Ward, Col. J. (Stoke-upon-Trent) |
| Kennedy, A. R. (Preston). | Ramsden, E. | Ward, Lt.-Col. A. L. (Kingston-on-Hail) |
| Kidd, J. (Linlithgow) | Rawson, Sir Cooper | Warner, Brigadier-General W. W. |
| King, Commodore Henry Douglas | Remnant, Sir James | Waterhouse, Captain Charles |
| Kinloch-Cooke, Sir Clement | Rhys, Hon. C. A. U. | Watson, Sir F. (Pudsey and Otley) |
| Knox, Sir Alfred | Richardson, sir P. W. (Sur'y, Ch'ts'y) | Watson, Rt. Hon. W. (Carlisle) |
| Lamb, J. O. | Ropner, Major L. | Watts, Dr. T. |
| Lane Fox, Col. Rt. Hon. George R. | Ruggies-Brise, Lieut.-Colonel E. A. | Wells, S. R. |
| Lister, Cunliffe-, Rt. Hon. Sir Philip | Russell, Alexander West (Tynemouth) | Williams, A. M. (Cornwall, Northern) |
| Loder, J. de V. | Salmon, Major I. | Williams, Com. C. (Devon, Torquay) |
| Long, Major Eric | Samuel, A. M. (Surrey, Farnham) | Williams, Herbert G. (Reading) |
| Lucas-Tooth, Sir Hugh Vere | Sandeman, N. Stewart | Wilson, Sir C. H. (Leeds, Central) |
| Luce, Maj.-Gen. Sir Richard Harman | Sanderson, Sir Frank | Wilson, R. R. (Stafford, Lichfield) |
| Lumley, L. R. | Sandon, Lord | Windsor-Clive, Lieut.-Colonel George |
| Mac Andrew, Major Charles Glen | Savery, S. S. | Wolmer, Viscount |
| Macdonald, Capt. P. D. (I. of W.) | Shepperson, E. W. | Womersley, W. J. |
| Maclntyre, Ian | Skelton, A. N. | Wood, Sir Klngsley (Woolwich, W.) |
| McLean, Major A. | Smith, R.W. (Aberd'n & Kinc'dine, C.) | Yerburgh, Major Robert D. T. |
| MacRobert, Alexander M. | Smith-Carington, Neville W. | Young, Rt. Hon. Sir Hilton (Norwich) |
| Manningham-Buller, Sir Mervyn | Smithers, Waldron | |
| Margesson, Captain D. | Somerville, A. A. (Windsor) | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Marriott, Sir J. A. R. | Spender-Clay, Colonel H. | Major Cope and Major the Marquess |
| of Titchfield. | ||
| NOES. | ||
| Adamson, Rt. Hon. W. (Fife, West) | Grenfell, D. R. (Glamorgan) | Montague, Frederick |
| Adamson, W. M. (Staff., Cannock) | Griffiths, T. (Monmouth, Pontypool) | Morrison, R. C. (Tottenham, N.) |
| Alexander, A. V. (Sheffield, Hillsbro') | Groves, T. | Murnin, H. |
| Amnion, Charles George | Grundy, T. W. | Naylor, T. E. |
| Attlee, Clement Richard | Hall, F. (York, W. R., Normanton) | Oliver, George Harold |
| Baker, J. (Wolverhampton, Bliston) | Hall, G. H. (Merthyr Tydvil) | Owen, Major G. |
| Baker, Walter | Hamilton, Sir R. (Orkney & Shetland) | Palln, John Henry |
| Barker, G. (Monmouth, Abertillery) | Hardie, George D. | Pallng, w. |
| Batey, Joseph | Hartshorn, Rt. Hon. Vernon | Parkinson, John Allen (Wigan) |
| Beckett, John (Gateshead) | Hayday, Arthur | Pethick-Lawrence, F. W. |
| Bondfield, Margaret | Hayes, John Henry | Ponsonby, Arthur |
| Bowerman, Rt. Hon. Charles W. | Henderson, Right Hon. A. (Burnley) | Potts, John S. |
| Broad, F. A. | Henderson, T. (Glasgow) | Ritson, J. |
| Bromfield, William | Hirst, G. H. | Roberts, Rt. Hon. F. O.(W. Bromwich) |
| Bromley, J. | Hirst, W. (Bradford, South) | Robinson, W. C. (Yorks, W. R., Elland) |
| Brown, James (Ayr and Bute) | Hore-Bellsha, Leslie | Rose, Frank H. |
| Buchanan, G. | Hudson, J. H. (Huddersfield) | Salter, Dr. Alfred |
| Burton, Colonel H. W. | Hutchison, Sir Robert (Montrose) | Scrymgeour, E. |
| Buxton, Rt. Hon. Noel | Jenkins, W. (Glamorgan, Neath) | Shaw, Rt. Hon. Thomas (Preston) |
| Charleton, H. C. | John, William (Rhondda, West) | Shepherd, Arthur Lewis |
| Clowes, S. | Johnston, Thomas (Dundee) | Short, Alfred (Wednesbury) |
| Cluse, W. S. | Jones, Henry Haydn (Merioneth) | Sinclair, Major Sir A. (Caithness) |
| Compton, Joseph | Kelly, W. T. | Sitch, Charles H. |
| Connolly, M. | Kennedy, T. | Slesser, Sir Henry H. |
| Cove, W. G. | Kenworthy, Lt.-Com. Hon. Joseph M. | Smith, Ben (Bermondsey, Rotherhithe) |
| Cowan, D. M. (Scottish Universities) | Kirkwood. D. | Smith, H. B. Lees (Keighley) |
| Dalton, Hugh | Lansbury, George | Snell, Harry |
| Davies, Ellis (Denbigh, Denbigh) | Lawrence, Susan | Snowden, Rt. Hon. Phillp |
| Davies, Evan (Ebbw Vale) | Lee, F. | Spoor, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Charles |
| Day, Colonel Harry | Lindley, F. W. | Stamford, T. W. |
| Dennison, R. | Lowth, T. | Stephen, Campbell |
| Duncan, C. | Lunn, William | Stewart, J. (St. Rollox) |
| Dunnico, H. | MacDonald, Rt. Hon. J. R. (Aberavon) | Sullivan, J. |
| Fenby, T. D. | Mackinder, W. | Sutton, J. E. |
| Gardner, J. P. | MacLaren, Andrew | Taylor, R. A. |
| Gibbins, Joseph | Maclean, Nell (Glasgow, Govan) | Thomas, Rt. Hon. James H. (Derby) |
| Gillett, George M. | MacNeill-Weir, L. | Thomson, Trevelyan (Middiesbro, w.) |
| Graham, D. M. (Lanark, Hamilton) | Macpherson, Rt. Hon. James I. | Thorne, G. R. (Wolverhampton, E.) |
| Greenall, T. | March, S. | Thorne, W. (West Ham, Plaistow) |
| Greenwood, A. (Nelson and Colne) | Maxton, James | Thurtle, Ernest |
| Tinker, John Joseph | Westwood, J. | Wilson, C. H. (Sheffield, Attercliffe) |
| Townend, A E. | Wheatley, Rt. Hon. J. | Wilson, R. J. (Jarrow) |
| Viant, S. P. | Whiteley, W. | Wright, W. |
| Wallhead, Richard C. | Wiggins, William Martin | Young, Robert (Lancaster, Newton) |
| Watson, W. M. (Dunfermline) | Wilkinson, Ellen C. | |
| Webb, Rt. Hon. Sidney | Williams, C. P. (Denbigh, Wrexham) | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Wedowood, Rt. Hon. Josiah | Williams, David (Swansea, E.) | Mr. A. Barnes and Mr. Charles |
| Wellock, Wilfred | Williams, Dr. J. H. (Llanelly) | Edwards. |
| Welsh, J. C | Williams, T. (York, Don Valley) |
§ Mr. KELLYI beg to move, in page 8, line 4, after the word "been," to insert the words "or is."
As the Clause is at present, any renter who fails to comply with the requirements of this Part of the Act as to the quota is guilty of an offence, but if someone should discover that in his stock of films there is a shortage of the length of British films which the Government say ought to be there, the renter is to be hauled before the Courts and penalised. I know there is a proviso—unless he can prove to the satisfaction of the Court that the reason for non-compliance was beyond his control—but I ask the House if it is the right and just way of dealing with people in business that they should be compelled to appear before the Court in order to show that some manager or assistant, someone on whom they relied to purchase a certain length of British film, has not carried out his instructions. I am amazed at the attitude of the Government in the making of crimes. We ask that instead of the Clause reading that a certificate has been issued, it should also say "or is issued," giving the renter the opportunity before the matter comes into Court of securing a certificate that he has remedied the awful crime of not having a sufficient length of British film on his premises. Surely the Government is not desirous of making the lawyers even busier than they are or of finding more work for the criminal Courts. It seems in every Bill we have had lately there is a determination on the part of the Government to see that unemployment does not operate in the criminal Courts. We ask that instead of it being laid down that at some time in the past a certificate has been issued there shall be an opportunity for the man to have a quota so that he may save himself from being hauled before the Court and penalised to the enormous extent set out in the Measure.
§ Mr. WALLHEADI beg to second the Amendment.
At a time when trade generally is languishing, the one trade that seems to be 880 busy is the manufacture of offences. We seem to be concerned more than anything else with the manufacture of offences. In the last 18 months this House has done nothing but manufacture offences, and now we are engaged in the same process again. It seems to me the Bill is to be made as vexatious as it can possibly be made to exhibitors and renters, and I wish to enter my protest against the spirit of the Government in attempting to badger these people in the way they are doing. There is no criminal intent at all. It may be mere lapse of memory or duty on the part of some official, but the renter is made a criminal. One man gets the sack and the other fello-A gets fined. I see no good in that kind of thing at all, and I wish to add my protest against this method of legislation and the attitude taken by the Government.
§ The SOLICITOR-GENERAL (Sir Thomas Inskip)I rather think the Mover and Seconder of the Amendment are under the impression that the words they propose to insert are necessary in order to prevent the renter from being guilty unless, before the question of any quota arises, some opportunity has been given by the Board of Trade in accordance with Clause 22 (2). That is not the intention. The provisions of Clause 22 (2) allow the Board of Trade, after consultation with the Advisory Committee, to give a certificate that the reasons for non-compliance were beyond the control of the renter or exhibitor. Obviously that implies that certificates shall be granted not before but after failure to comply with the provision as to the renter's quota. Therefore the words proposed to be inserted add absolutely nothing to the Clause. If they do anything they tend to obscure it and, having regard to that fact, I cannot accept the Amendment and I do not suppose the hon. Member, if he accepts what I am saying, will press it.
§ Mr. KELLYWhat about the last words of this Sub-section?—
unless he proves to the satisfaction of the Court—
§ The SOLICITOR-GENERALThat is another sentence altogether. The hon. Member's Amendment deals with the certificate to be issued by the Board of Trade and he now asks me what the next sentence means:
unless he proves to the satisfaction of the Court that the reasons for non-oompliance were beyond his control.5.0 p.m.That is another question, to answer which, I think I should not be in order if I were to do more than say a word. If after the failure to comply with the provisions as to quota, the Board of Trade decline to give a certificate, then the renter has the right to go to the Court and attempt to prove to the satisfaction of the Court that the reasons for noncompliance are beyond his control.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODI do not think the Solicitor-General has been quite ingenious in his reply.
§ The SOLICITOR-GENERALI am quite ingenious.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIt is quite clear, if the Solicitor-General's explanation be correct, that the addition of these words would make his intention all the clearer. If, on the other hand, the interpretation of the original words is somewhat doubtful, then the proposed words might be inserted to make clear the position of the renter. What is the exact position?
If in any such year a renter fails to comply with the requirements of this part of this Act as to the renters' quota he shall be guilty of an offence, unless such a certificate as is hereinafter been mentioned has been issued by the Board of Trade.That is to say, he is guilty unless, during the course of the year in which the offence has been committed, he has received a certificate from the Board of Trade. He cannot possibly know whether he is guilty or not until he makes up his annual returns. When he makes up his annual returns he will know whether he has been guilty or not. He will then apply to the Board of Trade for the certificate. I want to be quite certain that that will not be too late but will be in time u> assist him in his proof to the satisfaction of the Court.
§ The SOLICITOR-GENERALI think I can satisfy the right hon. Gentleman, because if he will look at Clause 22, 882 Sub-section (2), to which I refer him, he will find that the only provision for the issue of a certificate by the Board of Trade is that the requirements as to the renters' quota have not been complied with. Therefore, the issue of the certificate awaits the discovery, as the right hon. and gallant Gentleman quite correctly says, that the renters' quota has not been complied with.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODThat is exactly what we discussed. I think the hon. and learned Gentleman was not present in Committee when we discussed Clause 22. Amendments were obtained to Clause 22 which were intended to meet that very point. We intended to enable either the exhibitors or the renters to make the application for the certificate which should save them from a prosecution before they had actually committed an offence. It was intended, if the price were too high or the quality too bad, that they should at once go to the Board of Trade and obtain a certificate before they had committed an offence; that they could still rectify their offence if the Board of Trade refused the certificate. It was pointed out that they were never certain as to whether they would get the certificate. They were to be put in the position of being potential criminals and would have to get a certificate in order to get them out of the hole. Obviously, the best way was to put the exhibitor or the renter in the position of applying for the certificate before the end of the year and before the return is made up and the lack of the quota created a crime. I am sorry the Solicitor-General was not present in Committee when Clause 22 was altered. We have put down Amendments to Clause 22 which I hope will make it clear what is the intention of the Government, unless Clause 22, and the Sub-section with which we are dealing now are mere camouflage and are not intended to be any safeguard to the renters or the exhibitors. If it be intended really to help these people to meet difficult cases both this Amendment and some such Amendment as is put down to Clause 22 ought to be inserted in the Bill. It is a very trifling alteration, but it may mean a great deal of difference to the people who come under the harrow of this new law. As the Clause reads at the present time, a man 883 is put in the absolutely false position of having to commit a crime and then having to try to get the crime excused. You really cannot intend to put people in that position. What you do want, and what everybody wants, I think, is that when a man shows that he is unfortunate and that he cannot get his quota because of the high price of the article he should be able to go to the Board of Trade and get his certificate without waiting until the end of the year when the crime is committed before making his application.
§ The SOLICITOR-GENERALI am not unwilling to respond to the right hon. and gallant Gentleman's evident desire to understand this, but even from his point of view I should think that the words "has been" are right. The position he contemplates is where the renter, owing to the high price of the film, may not be able to fulfil the quota. He says:
§ "I do not want to wait until the end of the period when I am a potential criminal, but I should like to get the certificate, so to speak, as I go along." Are not the words "has been" which are in the Bill the right words, because the Clause says he shall be guilty of an offence unless the certificate "has been" issued. From the right hon. and gallant Gentleman's point of view, I should think that the words "has been" are right. I am afraid that I cannot add anything to what I have already said.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODI am quite willing that the matter should be raised again when we cotne to Clause 22.
§ Question put, "That those words be there inserted in the Bill."
§ The House divided: Ayes, 142; Noes, 237.
885| Division No. 334.] | AYES. | [5.10 p.m. |
| Adamson, Rt. Hon. W. (Fife, West) | Hall, F. (York, W.R., Normanton) | Scrymgeour, E. |
| Adamson, W. M. (Staff., Cannock) | Hall, G. H. (Merthyr Tydvil) | Shaw, Rt. Hon. Thomas (Preston) |
| Alexander, A. V. (Sheffield, Hillsbro') | Hardle, George D. | Shepherd, Arthur Lewis |
| Amnion, Charles George | Hartshorn, Rt. Hon. Vernon | Short, Alfred (Wednesbury) |
| Attlee, Clement Richard | Hayday, Arthur | Simon, Rt. Hon. Sir John |
| Baker, J. (Wolverhampton, Bllston) | Henderson, Rt. Hon. A. (Burnley) | Sinclair, Major Sir A. (Caithness) |
| Baker, Walter | Henderson, T. (Glasgow) | Sitch, Charles H. |
| Barker, G. (Monmouth, Abertillery) | Hirst, G. H. | Slesser, Sir Henry H. |
| Barnes, A. | Hirst, W. (Bradford, South) | Smith, Ben (Bermondsey, Rotherhithe) |
| Batey, Joseph | Hore-Belisha, Leslie | Smith, H. B. Lees (Keighley) |
| Beckett, John (Gateshead) | Hudson, J. H. (Huddersfield) | Snell, Harry |
| Bondfield, Margaret | Hutchison, Sir Robert (Montrose) | Snowden, Rt. Hon. Philip |
| Bowerman, Rt. Hon. Charles W. | Jenkins, W. (Glamorgan, Neath) | Spoor, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Charles |
| Broad, F. A. | John, William (Rhondda, West) | Stamford, T. W. |
| Bromfield, William | Johnston, Thomas (Dundee) | Stephen, Campbell |
| Bromley, J. | Jones, Henry Haydn (Merioneth) | Stewart, J. (St. Rollox) |
| Brown, Ernest (Leith) | Kelly, W. T. | Sullivan, Joseph |
| Brown, James (Ayr and Bute) | Kennedy, T, | Sutton, J. E. |
| Buchanan, G. | Kenworthy, Lt.-Com. Hon. Joseph M. | Taylor, R. A. |
| Buxton, Rt. Hon. Noel | Kirkwood, D. | Thomas, Rt. Hon. James H. (Derby) |
| Cape, Thomas | Lansbury, George | Thomson, Trevelyan (Mlddlesbro, W) |
| Charleton, H. C. | Lawrence, Susan | Thorne, G. R. (Wolverhampton, E.) |
| Clowes, S. | Lee, F. | Thorne, w. (West Ham, Plalstow) |
| Cluse, W. S. | Lindley, F. W. | Thurtle, Ernest |
| Compton, Joseph | Lunn, William | Tinker, John Joseph |
| Connolly, M. | MacDonald, Rt. Hon. J, R.(Aberavon) | Townend, A. E. |
| Cove, W. G. | Mackinder, W. | Viant, S. P. |
| Cowan, D. M. (Scottish Universities) | Maclean, Nell (Glasgow, Govan) | Wallhead, Richard C. |
| Dalton, Hugh | MacNeill-Weir, L | Watson, W. M. (Dunfermline) |
| Davies, Ellis (Denbigh, Denbigh) | Macpherson, Rt. Hon. James I. | Webb, Rt. Hon Sidney |
| Davies, Evan (Ebbw Vale) | Maxton, James | Wedgwood, Rt. Hon. Josiah |
| Day, Colonel Harry | Montague, Frederick | Wellock, Wilfred |
| Dennison, R. | Morrison, R. C. (Tottenham, N.) | Welsh, J. C. |
| Duncan, C | Murnin, H. | Westwood, J. |
| Dunnlco, H | Naylor, T. E. | Wheatley, Rt. Hon. J. |
| England, Colonel A. | Oliver, George Harold | Whltelev. W. |
| Fenby, T. D. | Owen, Major G. | Wiggins, William Martin |
| Forrest, W. | Palin, John Henry | Wilkinson, Ellen C. |
| Gardner, J. P. | Paling, W. | Williams, C. P. (Denbigh, Wrexham) |
| Gibbins, Joseph | Parkinson, John Allen (Wigan) | Williams, David (Swansea, E.) |
| Gillett, George M. | Pethick-Lawrence, F. W. | Williams, Dr. J. H. (Llanelly) |
| Graham, D. M. (Lanark, Hamilton) | Ponsonby, Arthur | Williams, T. (York, Don Valley) |
| Greenall, T. | Potts, John S. | Wilson, C. H. (Sheffield, Attercllffe) |
| Greenwood, A. (Nelson and Colne) | Ritson, J. | Wilson, R. J. (Jarrow) |
| Grenfell, D. R. (Glamorgan) | Roberts, Rt. Hon. F.O.(W. Bromwich) | Wright, W. |
| Griffiths, T. (Monmouth, Pontypool) | Robinson, W. C. (Yorks, W.R., Elland) | Young, Robert (Lancaster, Newton) |
| Groves, T. Grundy, T. W. | Rose, Frank H. | |
| Salter, Dr. Alfred | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— | |
| Mr. Charles Edwards and Mr. Hayes. | ||
| NOES. | ||
| Acland-Troyte, Lieut.-Colonel | Erskine, James Malcolm Monteith | Moore, Sir Newton J. |
| Agg-Gardner, Rt. Hon. Sir James T. | Evans, Captain A. (Cardiff, South) | Morrison, H. (Wilts, Salisbury) |
| Ainsworth, Major Charles | Everard, W. Lindsay | Murchison, Sir Kenneth |
| Aibery, Irving James | Fairfax, Captain J. G. | Nelson, Sir Frank |
| Alexander, E. E. (Leyton) | Fade, Sir Bertram G. | Nicholson, Col. Rt. Hn. W.G.(Ptrst'ld.) |
| Applin, Colonel R. V. K. | Fanshawe, Captain G. D. | Nuttall, Ellis |
| Ashley, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Wilfrid W. | Fermoy, Lord | Oman, Sir Charles William C. |
| Astbury, Lieut.-Commander F. W. | Fieiden, E. B. | Ormsby-Gore, Rt. Hon. William |
| Astor, Maj. Hn. John J. (Kent, Dover) | Forestier-Walker, Sir L. | Penny, Frederick George |
| Atholl, Duchess of | Foster, Sir Harry S. | Perkins, Colonel E. K. |
| Baldwin, Rt. Hon. Stanley | Foxcroft, Captain C. T. | Perring, Sir William George |
| Balniel, Lord | Fraser, Captain Ian | Pilcher, G. |
| Banks, Reginald Mitchell | Fremantle, Lieut.-Colonel Francis E. | Pilditch, Sir Philip |
| Barclay-Harvey, C. M. | Ganzoni, Sir John | Power, Sir John Cecil |
| Barnett, Major Sir Richard | Gates, Percy | Price, Major C. W. M. |
| Barnston, Major Sir Harry | Gibbs, Col. Rt. Hon. George Abraham | Raine, Sir Walter |
| Beckett, Sir Gervase (Leeds, N.) | Gilmour, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir John | Ramsden, E. |
| Bellairs, Commander Carlyon W. | Goff Sir Park | Rawson, Sir Cooper |
| Bennett, A. J | Grant, Sir J. A. | Remnant, Sir James |
| Bentinck, Lord Henry Cavendish- | Grattan- Doyle, Sir N. | Rhys, Hon. C. A. U. |
| Berry, Sir George | Greaves-Lord, Sir Walter | Richardson, Sir P. W. (Sur'y, Ch'ts'y) |
| Bethel, A. | Greene, W. P. Crawford | Ropner, Major L. |
| Betterton, Henry B. | Gretton, Colonel Rt. Hon. John | Ruggles-Brise, Lieut.-Colonel E. A. |
| Birchall, Major J. Dearman | Guinness, Rt. Hon. Walter E. | Russell, Alexander West (Tynemonth) |
| Bird, E. R. (Yorks, W. R., Skipton) | Gunston, Captain D. W. | Salmon, Major I. |
| Bourne, Captain Robert Croft | Hacking, Captain Douglas H. | Sandeman, N. Stewart |
| Bowater, Col. Sir T. Vansittart | Hall, Capt. W. D'A. (Brecon & Rad.) | Sandon, Lord |
| Bowyer, Captain G. E. W. | Hammersley, S. S. | Sassoon, Sir Philip Albert Gustave D. |
| Boyd-Carpenter, Major Sir A. B. | Hannon, Patrick Joseph Henry | Savery, S. S. |
| Braithwaite, Major A. N. | Harland, A. | Shaw, R. G. (Yorks, W.R., Sowerby) |
| Brassey, Sir Leonard | Harrison, G. J. C. | Sheffield, Sir Berkeley |
| Briggs, J. Harold | Harvey, G. (Lambeth, Kennington) | Shepperson, E. W. |
| Briscoe, Richard George | Haslam, Henry C. | Simms, Dr. John M. (Co. Down) |
| Brittain, Sir Harry | Hawke, John Anthony | Skelton, A. N. |
| Brocklebank, C. E. R. | Headlam, Lieut.-Colonel C. M. | Smith, R.W. (Aberd'n & Kinc'dlne, C.) |
| Broun-Lindsay, Major H. | Henderson, Lt.-Col. Sir V. L. (Bootle) | Smith-Carington, Neville W. |
| Brown, Brig.-Gen. H.C.(Berks, Newb'y) | Heneage, Lieut.-Colonel Arthur P. | Smithers, Waldron |
| Buchan, John | Henn, Sir Sydney H. | Somerville, A. A. (Windsor) |
| Buckingham, Sir H. | Hilton, Cecil | Spender-Clay, Colonel H. |
| Bull, Rt. Hon. Sir William James | Hope, Capt. A. O. J. (Warw'k, Nun.) | Sprot, Sir Alexander |
| Bullock, Captain M. | Hope, Sir Harry (Forfar) | Stanley, Lieut.-Colonel Rt. Hon. G. F. |
| Burney, Lieut.-Com. Charles D. | Hopkins, J. W. W. | Stanley, Lord (Fylde) |
| Burton, Colonel H. W. | Hopkinson, Sir A. (Eng. Universities) | Storry-Deans, R. |
| Cadogan, Major Hon. Edward | Howard-Bury, Colonel C. K. | Stott, Lieut.-Colonel W. H. |
| Caine, Gordon Hall | Hume, Sir G. H. | Streatfeild, Captain S. R. |
| Campbell, E. T. | Hunter-Weston, Lt.-Gen. Sir Aylmer | Stuart, Crichton-, Lord C. |
| Cautley, Sir Henry S. | Huntingfield, Lord | Styles, Captain H. Walter |
| Cayzer, Maj. Sir Herbt. R.(Prtsmth, S.) | Hurst, Gerald B. | Sueter, Rear-Admiral Murray Fraser |
| Cecil, Rt. Hon. Sir Evelyn (Aston) | Iliffe, Sir Edward M. | Templeton, W. P. |
| Chadwick, Sir Robert Burton | Inskip, Sir Thomas Walker H. | Thorn. Lt.-Col. J. G. (Dumbarton) |
| Chamberlain, Rt. Hon. N. (Ladywood) | James, Lieut.-Colonel Hon. Cuthbert | Thompson, Luke (Sunderlandi |
| Chapman, Sir S. | Jephcott, A. R. | Thomson, Rt. Hon. Sir W. Mitchell- |
| Christie, J. A. | Kennedy, A. R. (Preston) | Tinne, J. A. |
| Churchman, Sir Arthur C. | Kidd, J. (Linlithgow) | Tryon, Rt. Hon. George Clement |
| Clayton, G. C. | King, Commodore Henry Douglas | Turton, Sir Edmund Russborough |
| Cochrane, Commander Hon. A. D. | Kinloch-Cooke, Sir Clement | Vaughan-Morgan, Col. K. P. |
| Cockerill, Brig.-General Sir George | Knox, Sir Alfred | Waddington, R. |
| Cohen, Major J. Brunel | Lamb, J. Q. | Ward, Col. J. (Stoke-upon-Trent) |
| Conway, Sir W. Martin | Lane Fox, Col. Rt. Hon. George R. | Ward, Lt.-Col. A. L. (Kingston-on-Hull) |
| Cooper, A. Duff | Leigh, Sir John (Clapham) | Warner, Brigadier-General W. W. |
| Cope, Major William | Lister, Cunliffe-, Rt. Hon, Sir Philip | Warrender, Sir Victor |
| Couper, J. B. | Loder, J. de V. | Waterhouse, Captain Charles |
| Courthope, Colonel Sir G. L. | Long, Major Eric | Watson, Sir F. (Pudsey and Otley) |
| Craig, Sir Ernest (Chester, Crewe) | Lucas-Tooth, Sir Hugh Vere | Watson, Rt. Hon. W. (Carlisle) |
| Croft, Brigadier-General Sir H. | Luce, Major-Gen. Sir Richard Harman | Watts, Dr. T. |
| Crooke, J. Smedley (Deritend) | Lumley, L. R. | Wells, S. R. |
| Crookshank, Col. C. de W. (Berwick) | MacAndrew, Major Charles Glen | White, Lieut. Col. Sir G. Dalrymple |
| Crookshank, Cpt. H.(Lindsey, Galnsbro) | Macdonald, Capt. P. D. (I. of W.) | Williams, A. M. (Cornwall, Northern) |
| Cunliffe, Sir Herbert | Macdonald, R. (Glasgow, Cathcart) | Williams, Com. C. (Devon, Torquay) |
| Dalkeith, Earl of | Maclntyre, Ian | Wilson, Sir C. H. (Leeds, Central) |
| Davies, Maj. Geo. F.(Somerset, Yeovil) | McLean, Major A. | Wilson, R. R. (Stafford, Lichfield) |
| Davies, Sir Thomas (Cirencester) | MacRobert, Alexander M. | Windsor-Clive, Lieut.-Colonel George |
| Davies, Dr. Vernon | Manningham-Buller, Sir Mervyn | Wolmer, Viscount |
| Davison, Sir W. H. (Kensington, S.) | Margesson, Captain D. | Womersley, W. J. |
| Dawson, Sir Phillp | Marriott, Sir J. A. R. | Wood, Sir Kingsley (Woolwich, W.) |
| Dean, Arthur Wellesley | Meller, R. J. | Yerburgh, Major Robert D. T. |
| Drewe, C | Milne, J. S. Wardlaw | Young, Rt. Hon. Sir Hilton (Norwich) |
| Eden, Captain Anthony | Mitchell, S. (Lanark, Lanark) | |
| Edmondson, Major A. J. | Monsell, Eyres, Com. Rt. Hon. B. M. | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Elliot, Major Walter E. | Moore, Lleut.-Colonel T. C. R. (Ayr) | Major Sir George Hennessy and Mr. |
| F. C. Thomson. |
§ Further Amendments made:
§ In page 8, line 10, leave out the word "calendar."
§ In line 13, leave out the word "calendar."—[Sir P. Cunliffe-Lister.]
§ Mr. WALLHEADOn a point of Order. I would call attention to the Amendment on page 8, line 7—at end, to insert the words
by reason of the fact that a valid application was not made in time due to non-completion of the film by the producer from whom he purchased.What is the reason that has not been called on?
§ Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKER (Mr. James Hope)It is not one of the Amendments marked by Mr. Speaker.
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI beg to move, in page 8, line 16, to leave out from the word "and" to the end of line 21, and to insert instead thereof the words
is registered after the expiration of the year in which it is so acquired, the film shall, for the purposes of this Part of this Act, be treated as if it had been acquired by the renter in the year in which it is registered.This is really in effect a drafting Amendment. The object of it is this. The intention of the Bill is that the film should count for the quota in its effective year, that is, in the year in which it was dealt with by the renter. The application for registration of a film might take place at the very end of a current year. The registration would be effective in the beginning of the subsequent year and obviously the renter would deal with the film in the subsequent year. The film ought therefore to count for the quota in the year in which it was dealt with and not in the year in which it applied for registration. This Amendment makes that plain.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODI think this Amendment makes the position worse for the renter. I dare say it may be necessary to make the position worse for the renter. The renter has to devise so that he has a stock quota of British films. He buys from the producer a long time before. Then the producer, as not infrequently happens in all ranges of production, is late and does not deliver on the date. It may be that the renter has bought that film for use in the year 888 1928. It is not delivered in 1928. It is delivered in 1929. When he was buying this film he naturally did so in order to buy 20 per cent. British films for that year, and now he does not get it in until the next year. It may be necessary to make an alteration, but I say it makes the position of the renter, which is intolerable enough, worse.
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe right hon. and gallant Gentleman is quite wrong. If anybody buys a film for delivery one year and does not get it until the next, he can make application for registration in the first year, but he has got to be in possession of the film in order to complete his application. If he makes application at the end of one year, the application becomes a valid application on trade show. Suppose application to be made on the 28th March and the trade show to be on the 3rd April, then the validity of the application would date back from the 3rd April to the 28th March. Quite obviously, the last thing in the world the renter wants is to have the film set against his quota for the preceding year. He wants to deal with it in the current year, and unless this be put in he cannot do it.
§ Amendment agreed to.