§ 44. Mr. Francis Noel-Bakerasked the Postmaster-General what steps he will take to restrict the use of the postal services by advertisers who direct at the public advertisements of a pornographic or otherwise undesirable character which are not accepted by other media; what reply he has sent to representations by the Advertising Inquiry Council on this subject; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BennIt is an offence under the Post Office Act, 1953 to send indecent or obscene advertisements through the Post and I am satisfied that we do all we reasonably can to see that the Act is not contravened.
I am not clear precisely what my hon. Friend has in mind when he refers to advertisements of "otherwise undesirable character which are not accepted by other media". But if he will let me have further details, I will look into the matter in consultation with my colleagues. I have not yet replied to the Advertising Inquiry Council on this subject.
§ Sir C. Osborneasked the Postmaster-General, what action he now proposes to take to prevent further dispatch of pornographic literature through the post, copies of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Louth; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Joseph SlaterIt is an offence to send indecent or obscene matter through the post; and any such matter coming234W under notice is stopped. The literature mentioned by the hon. Member was ruled by a Court on 5th March to contravene Section 11 of the Post Office Act, and I do not therefore expect any more of it to be posted.