Written question asked by Lord Prior of Brampton (Conservative) on Tuesday, 20 October 1998, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 2 November 1998. It was answered by Lord Boateng (Labour) on Monday, 2 November 1998 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will comment on the role of the police in investigating the publication of obscene literature.

Answer: Mr. Prior: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the role of the police in investigating the publication of obscene literature. [56100] Mr. Boateng: Under the Obscene Publications Act 1959, it is the responsibility of the police in individual cases to decide whether there are sufficient grounds to launch a criminal investigation, and that of the Crown Prosecution Service to decide whether to prosecute those alleged to be responsible for the publication. Under section 3 of the Obscene Publications Act 1959, the police are also granted certain powers of search and seizure with respect to obscene articles. Three police forces have units dedicated to the investigation of obscene publications: the Metropolitan Police Service; Greater Manchester police; and West Midlands police. These units investigate the production and distribution of pornography, including pornography on the Internet, supervise licensed and unlicensed sex shops, supervise divisional obscene publication cases and provide advice in relation to obscene publication matters to other forces. Police operations are increasingly targeting mail order and duplicating premises in order to tackle the problem at source.

Secondary information