Clause 47 - Indecent photographs of persons aged 16 or 17

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

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Photo of Beverley Hughes Beverley Hughes Minister of State (Citizenship and Immigration), Home Office, Minister of State (Home Office) (Citizenship, Immigration and Counter-Terrorism) 9:45, 18 September 2003

The hon. Lady raises an interesting point. We all have our own definitions of what is decent and indecent, which may differ to some extent. I do not think that we can put a firm definition in legislation. The fact is that there is not a definition of indecent in this Bill or, as far as I am aware—I stand to be corrected—in any Bill. Rather, the definition of what is indecent is compiled over time in case law. I think that that is right because our ideas on what is decent and indecent change over time with social mores and cultural values. Our understanding of young people changes too. There is a compilation in case law, but no definition in the Bill.