HC Deb 20 March 2001 vol 365 c142W
Mr. Peter Ainsworth

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if feature films, to which subtitles for deaf and hard of hearing people have been added, are required to be re-submitted to the British Board of Film Classification prior to being screened in cinemas. [154752]

Mr. Charles Clarke

Under the cinema licensing regime provided by the Cinemas Act 1985, local authorities have the power to determine whether particular films may be shown in cinemas in their area. I understand that local authorities generally require cinemas to abide by the classification certificate issued by the British Board of Film Classification.

With regard to the issue of separate classification of films for which subtitles have been added, I understand that the Board are currently working with the Industry Disability Working Group on this matter and they have confirmed that they are happy to waive their normal fee for script reading, if the script for sub-titling is supplied to them at the same time as the film.