Film Censorship (Hansard, 2 November 1994)

§ Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to require that if the British Board of Film Classification finds it necessary to edit a section of a film under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill the board should state in full the reasons for the editing of the film.

§ Mr. Maclean
The British Board of Film Classification already provides the owner to the rights of a video in which it requires cuts with an explanation of those cuts. Owners who consider the decision by the board to be overly strict have a right of appeal to the video appeals committee, which has the power to vary the decision made by the board.
If in future the board reviews a work already classified before the introduction of the new statutory criteria, the owner of the work will similarly have the right of appeal against any fresh decision by the Board.

§ Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to review or change the membership of the British Board of Film Classification following the increase in the board's powers as a result of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill;
(2) if he will ensure that any proposals for changing the membership of the British Board of Film Classification 1170W will ensure that the membership reflects an accurate cross-section of society.

§ Mr. Maclean
The British Board of Film Classification is an independent body and my right hon. and learned Friend has no authority to determine its membership.

§ Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Secretary for the Home Department what guidelines will be issued to the British Board of Film Classification concerning the editing and classification of films; and if they will include advice that before a scene is cut it will be viewed in the context of the entire film.

§ Mr. Maclean
My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to issue any guidelines on the editing and classification of a video work. The British Board of Film Classification is an independent body and it alone is responsible for determining the classification given to any individual video work. If owners of the rights of works consider decisions by the board to be overly strict, they may appeal to the video appeals committee, itself a separate and independent body.