British Board of Film Classification (Accountability to Parliament and Appeals) Bill

I am most grateful to my hon. Friend and I hope that my next example will make that point almost as well as he has just made it. Let me return to the testimony from Boyz magazine, our largest circulation gay magazine, as this particular provision is the one that it most strongly supports:"““If there was an independent body in place with the power to hear appeals against the BBFC's decisions, then this young man””—" the 19-year-old whom I mentioned earlier, who has a sentence of death hanging over him—"““could have appealed to that body for the DVD—in which he became HIV positive—not to be given certification.””" That was highlighted in our exchange of e-mails as the single reason for the magazine's support for the Bill. Currently, there is no way of reviewing a decision retrospectively, except at the behest of the BBFC. After the outcry over the original ““Manhunt”” case, for instance, a review by the BBFC would have been welcome. Thus, clause 2 allows for that sort of retrospective ruling. If people have heard about a film, they can initiate the process earlier, but retrospective rulings will be allowed. Again, however, that sets a much higher standard than in Australia, where just one person can trigger an appeal. My Bill says that an appeal will be possible if 50 MPs sign an early-day motion. Finally, clause 4 will introduce increases in penalties for offences. Ian Muspratt, chairman of the Video Standards Council—a body wholly independent of the BBFC—commented that"““a study three years ago suggested that it is more profitable to sell pirated videos and DVDs than cocaine and it is often the same people doing it””." The current abysmal lack of enforcement, with weak penalties anyway, means that, while there is still some classification, the system for enforcement has effectively broken down. Mr. Muspratt described to me the vast numbers of illegal videos and DVDs moving around the country—that is the case even before we start thinking about the internet. I am grateful to the Prime Minister for agreeing to see the right hon. Member for Leicester, East (Keith Vaz) and me. I am very much aware that the Government have commissioned Dr. Tanya Byron to research the children's end of this issue. I must say, however, that although I was very impressed with the work that she is doing when I met her, this is not just an issue about children. Britain today has a rising tide of violence, particularly sexual violence against women and young girls. Much of it, especially when they are trafficked, never reaches official statistics, but the official statistics are bad enough. The perpetrators are not typically under 18. The tide of violence available through the media, including films, DVDs, videos and video games is fuelling the problem. The evidence shows overwhelmingly that that is the case, so I urge the House to give the Bill its Second Reading.