§ LORD BIRDWOODMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are satisfied that existing arrangements under the Cinematograph Act are adequate to prevent the presentation of films which, from a political point of view, may be regarded as subversive.]
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, the decision whether a film may be shown to the public rests, in the last resort, with the local licensing authorities who, in general, are guided by the British Board of Film Censors. This system has been in operation since 1909 and has given rise to little complaint, and in the opinion of Her Majesty's Government it is generally satisfactory.
§ LORD BIRDWOODMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his Answer, but I should like to ask a supplementary question indicating that the situation has slightly changed since 1909. If it were possible for the machinery to allow, for example, a film the one purpose of which is to picture the present leader of the North Atlantic Forces in Europe, to defame his name and to show him up as a mass-murderer, to be shown in schools and film societies all over the country, would the noble Lord still hold that the machinery was adequate to prevent that very undesirable situation arising?
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, the noble Lord has particularly raised the question of a certain film, of which I have heard, and the possibility of showing it and, presumably, similar films, should any be forthcoming in the future. The noble Lord raised in particular the matter of cinema clubs, and so on, which are, of course, outside the scope of the Act. I must point out to him, however, that cinema clubs, and so on, are interested in films as an art form and not so much in the subject matter of the film. Incidentally, I believe that the film to which the noble Lord has referred is not a particularly good one, by any standard. The membership of such clubs is small and I do not think that this risk is a great one.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, if the noble Lord is going to suggest instituting political censorship for films, should not that be done in an orderly manner and with the consent of Parliament?
§ LORD CHESHAMI was suggesting nothing of the kind. Had the matter been pressed in any shape or form I should have gone some way to try to discourage anything of the kind.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, my own intention was to discourage the noble Lord who put the Question.
THE EARL OF BESSBOROUGHMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether, while recognising that it may not be desirable or practicable to revise and amend the Cinematograph Act, the greatest possible publicity should not be given to the existence of these fake documentaries? I should also be interested to know whether Her Majesty's Government are aware of the views of the West German Government in regard to the faked character of these films.
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, answering the second part of the question first, I would say that Her Majesty's Government are aware of those views; and if there was any possible risk of circulation of films such as the noble Earl describes, I should think that wide publicity showing them for what they are would be desirable.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEThat is the answer.