§ 3.5 p.m.
§ LORD WILLISMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have considered the amendment of existing laws and regulations to allow for the abolition of the present system of censorship of stage plays.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, HOME OFFICE (LORD DERWENT)My Lords, no amendment of the law is in contemplation. Even though the present system of censorship of stage plays by the Lord Chamberlain may appear anomalous in theory, the Government consider that it has worked well in practice and that no alternative system is likely to be found which would command general support.
§ LORD WILLISMy Lords, I should like to thank the noble Lord for that reply, and would ask, further, whether he is aware that this country is the only country in the world where we have this father figure as the dictator of what goes on to our stages. Is he also aware that although the present Lord Chamberlain may be extremely liberal in his outlook, there is strong feeling in the theatre that some other system more in keeping with the twentieth century should be found?
§ LORD DERWENTMy Lords, as regards the first supplementary question, I would say that we always do everything better than other countries. As regards the second supplementary question, I am not sure that, if we wanted to alter the system, we should get a majority of opinion in favour of altera- 1326 tion. Even within the theatrical business, it is known that theatre managements like the present system.
THE EARL OF MANSFIELDMy Lords, arising out of the original reply, is it not the case that a large section of the population looks with abhorrence on the increasing use of obscenity on the stage and wishes to see the present regulations strengthened rather than abandoned?
§ LORD DERWENTMy Lords, that is, of course, perfectly true.
§ LORD WILLISMy Lords, I should like to point out that the present regulations are embodied in one figure. My Question was not directed to our changing the regulations to make them less stringent, but to getting a more democratic method of organising the operation of our theatres.
§ LORD DERWENTMy Lords, two people are not always better than one.
§ LORD GARDINERMy Lords, does not the noble Lord think it very odd that grown-up people in this country should not be able to see a play unless an official of the Queen's Household thinks they ought to?
§ LORD DERWENTMy Lords, it has been contemplated that some other official should do it, but we do not find that suggestion any more satisfactory; in fact, rather less so.