§ 83. Mr. McKayasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many local police authorities took proceedings against the sale of obscene literature by local salesmen during the year 1953; and how many of these local police authorities took legal action against the publishers of such literature where the names and addresses of such publishers were known.
§ Sir D. Maxwell FyfeI am informed that during 1953 proceedings were taken in 197 cases against local vendors of obscene literature under the Obscene Publications Act, 1857, with a view to obtaining an order for the destruction of that literature. The majority of such publications emanate from a comparatively small number of publishers in London, and during the same year nine of these publishers were successfully prosecuted and I understand that the question of instituting proceedings in other cases is under consideration.