§ Lord Harris of Greenwichasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether following the showing on BBC Television news of 8th July of masked vandals breaking into the Oxford University Park Farm to release animals kept there for quarantine and for purposes of medical research, they will discuss with the broadcasting authorities the propriety of their organisations so colluding with those responsible for breaches of the criminal law.
§ Baroness CoxThe Government deplore the activities of those who seek to achieve their objectives—however deep their convictions—by illegal means and deplore any encouragement of such organisations to continue their illegal acts, in the Annex to the licence and Agreement between the BBC and my right honourable friend the Home Secretary, the Board of Governors accept that so far as possible programmes for which they are responsible should not encourage or incite to crime. I understand that the BBC was not involved in filming the scenes in question, and had no prior knowledge that a criminal offence was to occur. I understand nevertheless that the BBC has serious reservations about using material which might be considered to publicise or to glamorise illegal activities and that similar material will not in future be used without senior editorial decision.