The Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP

Secretary of State 

Department for Culture, Media and Sport 

100 Parliament Street

London

SW1A 2BQ

Date: 5th March 2015

Dear Sajid, 

I am writing to you about the Audiovisual Media Service Regulations 2014 which were implemented in December 2014.

As you will be aware, the amendment to the Communications Act 2003 sought to consolidate regulations on online paid-for pornography with the same guidelines set out by the British Board of Film Censors (BBFC), for over the counter pornography sales.

I believe that there is clear value in having a consistent approach to the regulation of harmful content, and I accept that a change in legislation was necessary for an alignment between the BBFC, Television On Demand and Ofcom.  However, many of my constituents are concerned by the requirements of the regulations, which include a ban on acts focussed on the expression of female sexuality, rather than acts determined as causing harm. Furthermore, the Government has not clearly defined the rationale behind the inclusion of sexual acts such as female ejaculation, and has not provided evidence of their harmful effects.

I am also extremely concerned that the regulations were subject to a negative resolution procedure, and were not consulted upon.

I would therefore urge the Government to conduct a review into the implementation of these regulations to assess whether there were (perhaps unintended) consequence in terms of the censorship of female erotica, applying the Public Sector Equality Duty (gender considerations) of the Equality Act 2010. 

In the longer term, I would like to see the Government take dedicated action on wider problems within the pornography industry, whilst also taking into account the role of the media, and freedom of expression based on human rights.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this matter.

Yours sincerely,