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Digital Economy Bill [HL]

Amendments 248 and 249 explore the point at which the video games authority passes over responsibility for the classification of game material to the video works authority. According to the Explanatory Notes, the purpose of the proposed new subsections is to ensure that the classification of video games which are similar to video works that would rate a restricted classification or would lead to that sort of video work remains in the hands of the British Board of Film Classification, which has experience of handling such material. This is a sensible policy. It is a shame that, as drafted, the Bill does not set it out as such. Why have the Government not specified, as Amendment 248 does, the purpose of the subsection? What other purpose have the Government in mind for it? Amendment 249 looks at where the responsibility lies for passing over material to the BBFC for classification. I understand that since responsibility for games generally lies with the video games authority, it needs to take an active part. How does the Minister envisage that a body with no experience in distinguishing between an 18 and R18 classification will identify the works that need to be sent to the BBFC? Are the Government proposing a whole new department within the video games authority which duplicates the work of the BBFC? I beg to move.