§ 30. Mr. Archerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought summarily and on indictment, respectively for which figures are available; and how many in each category resulted in convictions for offences against the Obscene Publications Act 1959 in the last convenient period.
§ Mr. BrittanThe information available relates to offences under the Obscene Publications Acts of both 1959 and 1964. In 1978, the latest year for which figures are available, 142 persons were tried summarily in England and Wales for offences under these Acts and 124 were found guilty; in the same period 41 persons were tried at the crown court for such offences and 34 were found guilty. Information on such proceedings at magistrates' courts is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" (table 1(a)(iii) of the volume for 1978. Cmnd. 7670).