§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, I beg leave 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 it is desirable to show films of boxing, and other films glamorising violence, at Dartmoor Prison and other prisons where men convicted of crimes of violence are detained.]
EARL BATHURSTMy Lords, my right honourable friend is looking into the selection of films for exhibition in prisons and he will bear in mind the point that is being made by the noble Baroness and no doubt any other points she will make in her supplementary question.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, I thank the noble Earl for the generous invitation and at the same time thank him for the sympathetic reply, which is much more than I expected. May I in my supplementary, ask the noble Earl—and noble Lords in this House are, I think, objective in this matter and not quite so subjective as the honourable Members of another place—to bear in mind that our prisons are over-full with men who have been convicted of crimes of violence. Is it in the interests of the men themselves, and of the community, to entertain them with films which glamorise physical assault, whether it be boxing or otherwise?
EARL BATHURSTI certainly take into account what the noble Lady has said. We have difficulties in censorship of films and so forth, as I am sure the 609 noble Lady will appreciate, but this question is being looked into by my right honourable friend.
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, is the noble Earl aware that his first Answer was somewhat contrary to the rules of boxing, in that he hit my noble friend before they had shaken hands?