Clause 47 - Indecent photographs of persons aged 16 or 17

Part of Sexual Offences Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee am 9:45 am ar 18 Medi 2003.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Sandra Gidley Sandra Gidley Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol, Romsey 9:45, 18 Medi 2003

I just want to explore the meaning of ''indecent''. Some have advocated the complete removal of the clause because they think it unworkable. I am not sure that I share that view. Some organisations, such as Liberty, have pointed out that it will be impossible to police the clause. The difficulty is establishing age. It has been suggested that a provocative picture of a teenage girl band—we all know that such things sadly exist—which is innocently aimed at teenage girls, could conceivably fall foul of the clause. I thought that somewhere in the Bill there might be a definition of what would be classified as indecent. I may have simply run out of patience and

got bored, but I could not find one anywhere. Can the Minister clarify where exactly the line between decency and indecency will be drawn?