British Board of Film Classification

Earl of Glasgow Excerpts

Wednesday 12th June 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

The noble Lord again raises an important point. That is why, across the piece, the Government, industry and charity, through the UK Council for Child Internet Safety, are working so much together and why the Secretary of State is having a summit meeting on 18 June with the major internet service providers, mobile operators, search engines and social media companies to explore all that can be done to ensure that children remain safe.

[The Earl of Glasgow]

My Lords, is the Minister aware of the scheme practised quite a lot in Italy by which DVDs and controversial material of that sort are classified by the users themselves and the users’ classification then becomes legal?

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

I have been quite busy learning about what happens in the United Kingdom, so I was not aware of what might be happening in Italy. However, I think—and I am sure it is what my noble friend was alluding to—we need to make sure that whether it is by age verification or whatever that children remain secure.