§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if he will issue guidelines to procurators fiscal regarding prosecution policy in relation to the rental of pornographic video tapes; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Solicitor-General for ScotlandProcurators fiscal are aware of the standard of obscenity which merits prosecution in cases involving the sale or rental of obscene video cassettes. The only instruction which has been issued to procurators fiscal in this connection is that where an offence could be dealt with under the Video Recordings Act 1984, proceedings should not be taken at common law for offences of obscenity or indecency, or under section 51 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, without express instructions from Crown counsel. My noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate does not intend to issue any further instructions at this time in connection with cases involving obscene video cassettes.
§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Solicitor-General for Scotland how many prosecutions have taken place in the years 1983 to 1985 and in 1986 to date against persons who have allegedly supplied pornographic video tapes to shops in Scotland.
§ The Solicitor-General for ScotlandIt is not possible to obtain the information sought from the statistics which are kept.