§ Mr. Beithasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what evidence he adduces to support individual applications to the Director of Public Prosecutions for the loans of pornographic material for use in treatment or assessment, in the absence of any records indicating the extent of the use of material loaned in previous years and in view of the fact that material loaned this year has not so far been used.
(2) why he has kept no records of the number of patients assessed or treated during the last year by the use of pornographic materials obtained from the Director of Public Prosecutions with the prior approval of his Department.
§ Sir George YoungSuch material is loaned by the Director of Public Prosecutions only if this Department is satisfied that it is a necessary part of an assessment or treatment programme. Where there is a continuing need for such material, clinicians have been allowed to retain it for successive patients. Those holding the material will normally keep confidential clinical records of its use. Use of the material loaned during the last year for a particular patient has proved impracticable and it is to be returned to the DPP.