§ Mr. Beithasked the Attorney-General whether pornographic films, which are not included in the materials referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed of 20 June, have been loaned by the Director of Public Prosecutions to Moss Side and Park Lane hospitals, Liverpool.
§ The Attorney-GeneralI regret that an error was contained in the answer I supplied on 26 June. The last sentence of my answer in c. 263 of theOfficial Report ought to read:
The material on loan comprises magazines, photographs and films together with a small number of slides, transparencies and novels.
§ Mr. Beithasked the Attorney-General whether the pornographic material loaned to mental hospitals by the Director of Public Prosecutions includes material depicting either violence or sexual assaults on children.
§ The Attorney-GeneralUsually the material of this nature shows models acting as children but there may have been material involving children bearing in mind the specific purposes for which the loans were requested, but full descriptions of the material loaned have not been kept.
§ Mr. Beithasked the Attorney-General what proportion of the pornographic material loaned by the Director of Public Prosecutions to mental hospitals has been the subject of successful prosecutions.
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§ The Attorney-GeneralI am unable to say as many of the articles loaned have no title and the same title is often used for different articles, but those loaned had not necessarily come into the Director's possession in the course of proceedings for a criminal offence or been the subject of such proceedings on another occasion.
§ Mr. Beithasked the Attorney-General whether any immunity from prosecution has been granted to persons involved in the distribution and display of pornographic materials loaned to them for use in mental hospitals by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
§ The Attorney-GeneralIn view of the stringent conditions governing the loans and the medical purposes, approved by the Department of Health and Social Security, for which they were made, the question of immunities did not arise. The Director has received no information indicating that any publication has been made by the persons to whom he has loaned such material other than in accordance with the conditions of the loan.