Mr. Gresham Cooke:

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the increase in juvenile delinquency and to avoid encouragement to young persons to carry firearms for unlawful purposes, he will require the Independent Television Authority, under Section 9 (2) of the Television Act, 1954, and the British Broadcasting Corporation, under Section 15 (4) of the Licence and Agreement, to refrain from showing programmes involving a display of violence and brutality.

No, Sir. I am satisfied that both broadcasting bodies are alive to their responsibilities.

Mr. Gresham Cooke:

Is my right hon. Friend aware that I am convinced that young men like Forsyth and Harris and John Rogers, and the young people who are now carrying arms in bank raids, have been influenced in their criminal behaviour by the constant repetition on television of films of crime, murder and shooting? Is it not time that we pulled up our standards? Incidentally, these displays of violence are the subject of a great deal of criticism from foreigners who see them in this country?

My hon. Friend may or may not be right in his view, but his Question asks me to direct the B.B.C. and the I.T.A. to refrain from showing violence on the television screen. That, in fact, would mean a ban on some of the greatest British literature, including most of Shakespeare—and most of Bernard Shaw, too.

In view of the considerable public disquiet on this issue and the points already made in his hon. Friend's supplementary question, will the Postmaster-General remit this matter to the two Advisory Committees which were set up under the Licence and under the Television Act, 1954, specially to consider the suitability or otherwise of some of the programmes to which his hon. Friend has referred the attention of the House?

First, may I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on his new assignment on the Opposition Front Bench. I may say that I am quite sure that both the B.B.C. and the I.T.A. are sensitive to public criticisms—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]—in this field. For example, there was very recently a criticism of the Independent Television programme known as "Whiplash", and a criticism of me in the Evening Standard. I saw that programme. It has since been taken off temporarily and will be reinstated at a later hour in about three months' time.

Does the Postmaster-General think that frequent displays of professional boxing which glamorise brutality implant fine qualities in our young people?

I would much prefer that the right hon. Lady had that out with her hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Exchange (Mrs. Braddock).