HL Deb 12 May 1999 vol 600 cc152-3WA
Lord Eames

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether present guidelines for television and radio companies are sufficient to protect the more vulnerable in society from explicit scenes of sex and violence. [HL2134]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

These issues are primarily a matter for the independent broadcasting regulatory bodies: the Governors of the BBC, the Independent Television Commission, (ITC) the Radio Authority (RA) and the Welsh Authority, (S4C).

The Government believe that the current statutory programme codes and guidelines administered by the broadcasting regulators, together with their programme monitoring and complaints procedures, are effective in ensuring that the required standards are achieved.

The Government fully support initiatives by the regulators and the industry to maintain and improve standards, such as the joint BBC, ITC and BSC report Violence and the Viewer, published last year