Mr. DaisTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) if it is an aim of Government policy to reduce the amount of violence depicted on television; [25208]
(2) if she will monitor the average weekly number of murders by shooting depicted on each television channel and publish the results on a regular basis. [25348]
§ Mr. Sproat[holding answer 23 April 1996]: Broadcasters in the UK are independent of Government, but have clear responsibilities with regard to programme content. The broadcasting and regulatory bodies—the governors of the BBC, the Independent Television Commission, the Radio Authority and the Welsh Authority—produce and regularly review codes and guidelines with which broadcasters are obliged to comply. These set out the standards to be maintained with regard to the depiction of violence and sexual conduct and issues of general taste and decency, as well as other issues affecting programme content. These are in addition to broadcasters' own guidelines. The Government firmly believe that broadcasters must exercise caution, and be 371W sensitive to public concerns about the depiction of violence, and have expressed this view to the chairmen of the broadcasting and regulatory bodies.
It is the statutory duty of the Broadcasting Standards Council, under the Broadcasting Act 1990, to monitor the portrayal of violence, as well as sexual conduct and standards of taste and decency, in radio and television programmes. This research has been conducted and published annually since 1991.
§ Sir Michael NeubertTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what recent representations she has received about the depiction of violence in the media, with particular reference to its effect on children. [22304]
§ Mr. Sproat[holding answer 1 April 1996]: The Department receives a number of representations about the depiction of violence in the media generally, many of which express considerable concern about its possible effect on children. Issues of the depiction of violence in film and video releases are, of course, for my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary. While issues of programme content in broadcasting are a matter for the independent broadcasting and regulatory bodies, the governors of the BBC, the Independent Television Commission, the Radio Authority and the Welsh Authority, the Government strongly believe that broadcasters should exercise caution in this area, which generates considerable public concern.