HC Deb 08 November 1962 vol 666 c83W
17. Mr. D. Foot

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the anomalies arising from the present law governing the censorship of stage plays; and whether Her Majesty's Government will introduce legislation giving effect to the recommendation of the Joint Select Committee of 1909 that it should be optional to submit a play for licence by the Lord Chamberlain and legal to perform an unlicensed play whether it has been submitted or not; or alternatively whether Her Majesty's Government will institute a fresh inquiry into the working of the censorship.

Mr. Brooke

I know that the existing arrangement for the censorship of plays gives rise to difficulty and disagreement from time to time, as all censorship arrangements do. But I believe it works reasonably well, and I am not at present convinced that any change would be an improvement.