HC Deb 26 June 1952 vol 502 cc2433-5
43. Mr. Swingler

asked the President of the Board of Trade what advice he has received from the Cinematograph Films Council concerning the quota defaults of the Empire Cinema, Leicester Square; and what action he proposes to take.

44. Mr. Wyatt

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can now say what prosecutions have been decided on for breaches of the Quota Act, 1948, for the quota year ended September, 1951, as a result of his recent consultations with the Films Council; and in particular, whether he has now decided to institute a prosecution against the Empire Cinema. Leicester Square.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

As a general rule, I do not think it would be appropriate for me to comment on the cases of individual theatres, but I am prepared to do so in this case because the hon. Member for Aston (Mr. Wyatt) has put down his Question at my invitation. After full consideration of the case of the Empire Cinema, Leicester Square, and of the advice tendered to me by the Cinematograph Films Council upon it, I have decided not to institute a prosecution in this case. On the question of prosecutions generally, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 10th June to the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler).

Mr. Swingler

Would the Minister care to explain to the House how it is that his advisers have recommended to him that the most flagrant violator of the film quota should not be prosecuted? Does this not show that his advisers have a complete contempt for the law, and, therefore, will he not do something to get a better set of advisers?

Mr. Thorneycroft

I take my advice from the Films Council set up under legislation introduced and passed by the Government which the hon. Gentleman supported.

Mr. Wyatt

Is it not a fact that Mr. Sam Eckman, a United States citizen, is a member of the British Films Council, is managing director of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer company, which runs the Empire Cinema, Leicester Square, and was called upon, in his capacity as a member of the Films Council, to give advice that he, an American citizen controlling a British cinema, should not be prosecuted under British law? Is this not an absolutely fantastic state of affairs, and is it not time that the Minister looked into the whole question of prosecutions under the Quota Act, which, with the connivance of his officials, are not being undertaken when they should be?

Mr. Thorneycroft

The procedure under which these questions of breach of quota are examined is that introduced by legislation brought into effect by the previous Government. I am, in fact, following that procedure, as I am bound to do under the statute, and I have followed it in this case.

Mr. H. Morrison

Why does the right hon. Gentleman evade the factual information put by my hon. Friend? Why does he try to rest on an Act of Parliament which was passed by a previous Parliament? Surely, the Minister has the responsibility of answering the factual allegations of my hon. Friend to the effect that a gentleman who was an offender against the law is retained as an adviser on how breaches of the law should be dealt with?

Mr. Thorneycroft

In fact, the advice came to me from the Films Council, as such, of which the gentleman referred to is no doubt a member. The advice to which I am bound to pay attention is the advice of the Films Council as existing under this legislation.