§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the topics which have been discussed at the last two meetings of the working group on obscenity. [38169]
§ Mr. KirkhopeThe group has met three times so far. The main topics discussed have been the use of computer networks for the importation and dissemination of obscene material; the enforcement of laws against child pornography; the display of indecent material in newsagents; and research to compare what is considered indecent and obscene in other countries.
404W
§ Mrs. WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions and convictions there were under section 2 and section 3 of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 in(a) 1970, (b) 1975, (c) 1980, (d) 1985, (e) 1990 and (f) 1994; and how many of these did not involve pornography. [38167]
§ Mr. MacleanThe available information is given in the table. Data before 1979 are not available and the statistics cannot separately identify cases which involve pornography. The 1994 data are provisional.
The number of offenders prosecuted and the number found guilty at all courts for offences of possessing obscene material for gain1 England and Wales Number of offenders Year 1980 1985 1990 21994 Number of prosecutions 183 275 174 309 Total number found guilty 118 226 116 266 1 An offence under section 2 of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 as amended by the Obscene Publications Act, 1964 section 1. 2 1994 data is provisional.