Video Recordings Act 1984 was never properly enacted
The Times Online reports that the Video Recordings Act 1984 never passed into law, due to the non notification of the Act to the European Commission.
The Act sets out provisions to regulate the distribution of video recordings and for connected purposes. Provisions for offences and penalties are set out in Sections 9 – 15. Offences include supplying video recordings of unclassified work (s. 9), possession of video recording of unclassified work for the purposes of supply (s. 10), supplying video recording of classified work in breach of classification (s. 11), certain video recordings only to be supplied in licensed sex shops (s. 12), supplying video recordings that do not comply with requirements as to labels etc. (s. 13) and supplying video recordings that contain a false indication as to classification (s. 14). Provisions regarding penalties are set out under Section 15.
However there are other statutory protections for children in relation to harmful films, containing pornography. By way of example, section 12 makes it an offence to cause a child to watch a sexual act.
See Times Online 25 August 2009 Error leaves children unprotected under 1984 Video Recording Act
