HC Deb 31 July 1947 vol 441 cc613-4
19. Mr. Gallacher

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has considered a letter sent by the hon. Member for West Fife concerning an obscene publication entitled "Forever Amber," now appearing in serial form in a Sunday newspaper, of which he has been informed; and if he will take steps to prosecute the publishers.

Mr. Ede

The decision whether a prosecution shall be taken in any particular case does not rest with me. I understand that this publication has been considered by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who has come to the conclusion that it is not of such a character as to warrant proceedings under the criminal law relating to indecent and obscene publications.

Mr. Gallacher

In view of the many prosecutions for comparatively trivial offences, is it not time that the law was altered so that there could be prosecutions in cases of this kind, which involve an appalling waste of newsprint for such a filthy publication?

Mr. Ede

I am reluctant to do anything that restricts the right of publication. I am constantly being urged to restrict publication of documents in which, I understand, the hon. Gentleman himself is interested, and I have consistently declined to yield to such overtures.

Lieut.-Colonel Sir Thomas Moore

While holding no brief whatever for this rather dull and repetitive book, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will resist every effort to create a police controlled State in this country, whereby publishers are prosecuted for doing their job?

Mr. Rankin

In view of my right hon. Friend's answer, will the ban on publishing the unexpurgated edition of "Lady Chatterley's Lover" now be removed?

Mr. Ede

There is no ban on it. The magistrate before whom this case came decided that this book was an indecent and obscene publication. That was the responsibility which the law places upon him, and I cannot ask him or any other magistrate to reverse that decision. Magistrate must hear the evidence, and come to their own conclusions.

Mr. Gallacher

In asking the Minister not to mix up requests about political publications with obscene publications, can I also ask him whether, in view of the shortage of school books and other necessary material, nothing can be done about such an obvious waste of valuable paper?

Mr. Ede

I can assure the hon. Member that this book has been out of print for a long time, certainly for some months, if not longer, so that no paper, other than that of a certain Sunday publication, has been wasted on it.

Mr. Quintin Hogg

Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the hon. Member for West Fife (Mr. Gallacher) has lost his reputation as the champion of Christian morals by putting this matter on the basis of the shortage of newsprint?

Mr. Ede

I should hesitate to join with the hon. Member for Oxford (Mr. Hogg) on standards of Christian morals.