Letter to the Home Secretary (child pornography)

Document type:	Speeches, interviews, etc.
Source:	Liverpool Daily Post, 6 September 1977
Editorial comments:	Item listed by date of publication. Published in the The Liverpool Daily Post on 6 September 1977 and reproduced with permission of The Liverpool Daily Post and Echo.
Importance ranking:	Minor
Word count:	366
Themes:	Law & order, Media

Stamp out child porn—Thatcher

Mrs Margaret Thatcher yesterday pledged Tory support for Government action to stamp out the sexploitation of young children in Britain.

And she coupled her pledge with a challenge to Home Secretary Merlyn Rees to introduce new laws when Parliament re-assembled in November.

She told him: “We will give you every support for any action taken to stop what we believe to be a crime against innocents.”

Her demand for Government action came after she spent 75 minutes with Mrs Mary Whitehouse discussing evidence that young children were being used in the making of pornographic material.

Mrs Whitehouse had gone to see Mrs Thatcher after being told that Mr Rees was unavailable and that she would have to see a Home Office Under Secretary to discuss the matter.

Mrs Thatcher immediately contacted the Shadow Home Secretary Mr Willie Whitelaw to elicit his support for her pledge of Tory backing for new legislation.

Mrs Thatcher sent a letter to Mr Rees telling him: “I have been shocked by what I have read and appalled that these things could be happening here. I believe that this view will be shared by almost everybody in this country.”

“Above all, our children must be protected from those who would use them in this way. They cannot protect themselves. We have a duty to see they are protected by law.”

She asked Mr Rees: “Will you please look into these reports urgently yourself with a view to introducing any necessary legislation as soon as Parliament re-assembles.”

Mrs Whitehouse said it was absolutely essential for legislation to be introduced as a matter of urgency to make it illegal for any child under age of consent to be used in the making of pornographic material.

Parliament, she said, should also consider whether parents or guardians, who in any way made their children available for this type of exploitation, should be dealt with.

Mrs Whitehouse said she was disturbed to hear that coloured children were being exploited and she said the problem was particularly bad in the big cities.

“We must act before it gets out of hand,” she said.