§ Baroness Gould of Potternewtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
When the British Board of Film Classification's Annual Report for 1999 will be published. [HL2633]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Bassam of Brighton)My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has today placed in the Library copies of the Annual Report of the British Board of Film Classification for 1999, which gives details of the board's financial accounts and activities for the year ended 31 December 1999.
On 16 May, the High Court announced that the Board had lost judicial review proceedings brought by it in respect of appeals against its decision not to classify seven sexually explicit videos in the R18 category—which are available only in licensed sex shops. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary and I are very disappointed with the outcome. We believe that the situation is unsatisfactory and will be considering carefully whether there are any additional effective steps that can be taken to protect children from exposure to sexually explicit material. Any such changes may require legislation and we intend to issue a consultation paper on the matter shortly.