§ Mr. Wheelerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a detailed statement setting out the guidance given to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise officers so as to enable an officer to exercise his judgment when deciding to detain imported material considered indecent or obscene.
§ Mr. HayhoeAll officers engaged on customs work undergo a period of training and their course covers all aspects of import prohibitions including that on indecent or obscene material. However, Customs do not rely on one person's judgment alone and any case where there is doubt or where the decision is queried is submitted to a specialist branch in their headquarters. This branch carefully monitors court decisions on what is currently regarded as indecent or obscene and is guided by them. It also ensures that local staff are kept fully aware of contemporary interpretation of the law. Importers of course have the right to challenge any particular decision on alleged indecency or obsenity in the Courts.
§ Mr. Wheelerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out for the most recent 12-month period the number of seizures of presumed indecent or obscene material; and what were the figures for each of the previous five years.
§ Mr. HayhoeIt is regretted that the information is not readily available.