§ Mr. DAYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now come to a decision with reference to the registration under the Cinematograph Films Act, 1927, for quota purposes, of the film entitled "A Song of London," which is a five-reel film 7,000 feet in length; and whether this film has yet been seen by any of the responsible officials of the Board of Trade or the advisory committee appointed under the Cinematograph Films Act, 1927?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMI have carefully reconsidered this matter, and have come2118W to the conclusion that I must maintain the decision that the film is not one to which the Act applies having regard to the provisions of Section 27 (1). It is, of course, open to the makers if they are aggrieved by this decision to have the matter determined under Section 9 by the High Court. If on the other hand they have any further information to put forward in support of a claim that the film should be specially admitted to registration under the first proviso to Section 27 (1) on the ground of its special exhibition value, I shall be ready to ask the advisory committee to consider this point further in the light of such information. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.
§ Mr. DAYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether any applications have been made to him by renters, under the Cinematograph Films Act, 1927, for a certificate exempting them from complying with the quota conditions laid down in that Act; and, if so, will he give particulars of the grounds upon which these certificates were applied for and the number that have been granted by his Department?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMSubmissions under Section 23 (2) of the Cinematograph Films Act were made to the Board of Trade by 10 renters who had failed to comply with the quota provisions of the Act, the grounds for the submission being that the reasons for non-compliance were reasons beyond their control. A certificate was granted in one case.