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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1987
+AT THE MEETING OF THE AD HOC GROUP THIS MORNING, I UNDERSTAND IT WAS AGREED THAT EXCO'S AGREEMENT WOULD BE SOUGHT TO PUBLISH A DRAFT BILL ON APRIL 3 AND THEREAFTER PROVIDE A PERIOD FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION.
+THE INTENTION IS TO INTRODUCE THE BILL TO THIS COUNCIL FOR ENACTMENT WITHIN THE CURRENT SESSION, HE ADDED.
HE ADMITTED THAT THE WAY TO IMPLEMENT THE THREE-CATEGORY FILM CLASSIFICATION HAD PRESENTED DIFFICULTIES AND THE GOVERNMENT HAD EXAMINED TWO APPROACHES.
+ THE FIRST IS BY ENACTING NEW LEGISLATION FOR FILM CENSORSHIP PURPOSES TO REPLACE THE EXISTING FILM CENSORSHIP REGULATIONS WHICH ARE NOT SATISFACTORY BECAUSE THEY WERE MADE UNDER AN OMNIBUS ORDINANCE GOVERNING PLACES OF PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT AND WHICH LEGAL ADVICE HAS BEEN GIVEN EXPRESSING DOUBTS ABOUT THE IR LEGALITY, HE SA ID.
IN DRAFTING THE LEGISLATION, MR FORD SAID PROBLEMS WERE ENCOUNTERED IN FINDING AN APPROPRIATE EXPRESSION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF FILM CENSORSHIP WHICH WOULD ADEQUATELY GUIDE THE FILM INDUSTRY. DIFFICULTIES WERE FOUND IN CIRCUMSCRIBING THE POWERS OF THE CENSORS AND SAFEGUARDING AGAINST POSSIBLE ABUSES, MR FORD ADDED.
HE ALSO SAID THE PUBLIC COULD BE SENSITIVE TO THE CRITERIA FOR CENSORING FILMS, CURRENTLY EMBODIED IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE +NOTE OF GUIDANCE,+ BEING CONFIRMED BY STATUE.
+CONS IDERATION WAS THEN GIVEN TO IDENTIFYING AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF INTRODUCING A SYSTEM OF FILM CLASSIFICATION WITHIN THE EXISTING FRAMEWORK.
+THIS COULD HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED BY AMENDING THE NOTE OF GUIDANCE' TO INCLUDE A PROVISION FOR FILM CLASSIFICATION AND BY REQUIRING CINEMA-OPERATORS TO USE ALL REASONABLE MEANS TO ENSURE THAT IN RESPECT OF CATEGORY III FILMS ONLY PERSONS WHO HAVE ATTAINED THE AGE OF 18 YEARS ARE ADMITTED, + MR FORD SAID.
BUT HE ADDED THAT WITHOUT LEGISLATIVE BACK ING, THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN DIFFICULTIES IN ENFORCING THE REQUIREMENT.
COMMENTING ON THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE LEGALITY OF THE EXISTING FILM CENSORSHIP REGULATION, MR FORD SAID THERE WAS VERY LITTLE DISCUSSION ON THE SUBJECT SINCE THE QUESTION WAS FIRST BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE ADMINISTRATION IN 1972.
+DURING THE 10 YEARS BETWEEN 1972 AND 1982, NO ACTION WAS TAKEN TO REMEDY THE LAW. FILE RECORD OF THE PERIOD SHOWED THERE WAS LITTLE, THERE WAS VERY LITTLE, DISCUSSION ON THE SUBJECT. +
/HE COULD