6 July 2005
MP tables questions to Minister asking for film censors to be named.
The Government and the British Board of Film Censors refused to identify the film censors who gave the controversial 12A rating to Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds means that under-12s accompanied by an adult can see the film – even though it contains disturbing scenes of violence. In an interview with the Daily Mail Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead constituency told their reporter Graeme Wilson “I cannot see why if they are making these decisions on our behalf, we cannot know what kind of background they have and what sort of people they are. I would be concerned to think that children aged 12 and under could be watching a film with scenes of violence and I have tabled a written question asking the Secretary of State to list the examiners at the British Board of Film Classification; what the professional backgrounds of each is and if she will make a statement. People need to be reassured that they reflect society as a whole.”
The Government and the British Board of Film Censors refused to identify the film censors who gave the controversial 12A rating to Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds means that under-12s accompanied by an adult can see the film – even though it contains disturbing scenes of violence. In an interview with the Daily Mail Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead constituency told their reporter Graeme Wilson “I cannot see why if they are making these decisions on our behalf, we cannot know what kind of background they have and what sort of people they are. I would be concerned to think that children aged 12 and under could be watching a film with scenes of violence and I have tabled a written question asking the Secretary of State to list the examiners at the British Board of Film Classification; what the professional backgrounds of each is and if she will make a statement. People need to be reassured that they reflect society as a whole.”