HL Deb 07 June 1999 vol 601 c124WA
Lord Ashbourne

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Video Appeals Committee is empowered to overturn decisions of the British Board of Film Classification concerning the classification of pornographic videos. [HL2636]

Lord Williams of Mostyn

Section 4(3) of the Video Recordings Act 1984 requires the Home Secretary to be satisfied that adequate arrangements exist for appeals against classification decisions by the designated authority, the British Board of Film Classification. The Video Appeals Committee is the independent body which hears such appeals. Although the committee has no statutory authority, it has been the practice of the board to accept its decisions.