HC Deb 26 January 1960 vol 616 cc87-8

6.0 p.m.

Mr. J. Rodgers

I beg to move, in page 7, line 18, at the end to insert: (2) For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, where the name of a place (with or without other particulars) is included as mentioned therein but not the name of the country in which that place is, the inclusion shall not be deemed to be the inclusion of an address. This Amendment fulfils the undertaking which I gave in Committee that the Government would introduce an Amendment on Report so that the name of the country in which a film was made should be included in the credit titles. The suggestion was, I think, first put forward by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Barkston Ash (Sir L. Ropner) in the course of the debate as an alternative to the Amendment which he actually put down, and which we then resisted, that the credit titles should include the caption, "This is a British Film".

I undertook also to consider whether the Amendment to be laid should stipulate that, where a film was made in England, Scotland or Wales, the term "Great Britain" should be used. This was in reply to a suggestion from the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Rankin), supported, I think, by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Barkston Ash. It was pointed out that there were no film studios in Scotland but that the chief participant in a film might well be a Scottish actor. Accordingly, the hon. Member for Govan asked that the proper name of the entity should be used, namely, Great Britain.

It would necessitate a rather cumbersome Amendment to provide that where the name of the country concerned was England, Scotland or Wales the term "Great Britain" should be used. Moreover, it seems to me that it would be wrong to take legislative action to prevent the use of the term "England" since for particular films that might be the most appropriate term, just as it would seem wrong to prevent the use of the terms "Scotland" or "Wales" where they might be the most appropriate.

The Amendment, therefore, makes no reference to "Great Britain" but stipulates only that the name of the country should be given. This will leave it open to the film makers to use their own judgment and to use the term "Great Britain" should they so desire, or "England", "Scotland" or "Wales".

Amendment agreed to.