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Film Censorship (Amendment) Bill 1995: second reading

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Recreation and Culture, Mr James Y C So, at the second reading debate of the Film Censorship (Amendment) Bill 1995 in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Mr President,

I would first like to thank the Honourable James To and Members of the Bills Committee for their diligent study of and their contributions to refining the Film Censorship (Amendment) Bill 1995. I am pleased that the main objectives of the Bill, namely, to impose compulsory censorship on the advertising materials of Category III films and to refine the existing Category II by dividing it into two sub-categories, have obtained the full support of the Bills Committee and the film industry.

However, in the course of studying the Bill, two issues have emerged: These concern the wording used in the notices for the two proposed sub-categories under Category II and the membership of the Film Censorship Board of Review. After careful consideration and wide consultation, we have agreed to make certain amendments at the Committee Stage to accommodate the views of Members of the Bills Committee and of the film industry.

When the Bill was introduced into this Council in January this year, we proposed Category II films to carry a notice to specify that they were either "not suitable for children below 12 (parental guidance recommended)" or "not suitable for persons below 18". As with the existing Category Il, these two new sub-categories are advisory in nature. The aim in dividing the existing Category II into 2 sub-categories is to let movie-goers, in particular parents, have more information so that they can decide whether the film concerned is suitable for viewing by their children.

The industry, however, is concerned about the original proposed wording of these two notices. Its worry is that parents may take the age advice as a compulsory warning rather than as a general advice. The industry has suggested using a more general wording without any reference to age.

We have examined the industry's concern and suggestion carefully with the Bills Committee. After balancing the community's need to have more information about category II films against the industry's deep concern, we have agreed to revise the notices to read "not suitable for children" and "not suitable for young persons and children".