BBFC role questioned in Parliament debate

Videogames contain rape and lead to murder, MPs told
Videogames allow the simulation of rape, and are the cause ofreal-life murders, according to one MP in a parliamentary debate onFriday.
Members of Parliament attended the debate to discuss the merits of aPrivate Member's Bill on violence in films and videogames, and decideif it would receive a Second Reading.
The Bill seeks to reform the BBFC in order to make it "accountableto Parliament and the public in a way that should encourage a return tomore responsible decisions," in the words of its sponsor, JulianBrazier, Conservative member for Canterbury.
He was supported by Keith Vaz, Labour member for Leicester East, whohas a long-standing connection with the violence issue following hisstance on the murder of Stefan Pakeerah in 2004 in which he citedRockstar's Manhunt as an inspiration - and he brought that particularexample to light once again.
"As the House knows, my concerns about these issues arise from thebrutal killing of Stefan Pakeerah, a 14-year-old Leicester schoolboywho was murdered in a savage attack in which he received 50 blows witha claw hammer - an attack that mirrored exactly a scene in thevideogame Manhunt," he told the debate.
"I was not the first to say that; Giselle Pakeerah, his parent, hasfrom the very beginning maintained and strongly believed that the factthat Warren Leblanc had a copy of Manhunt and that other children werelooking at those scenes of violence led to the attack on Stefan."
The Minister for Culture, Media and Sport, Margaret Hodge, laterpointed out that there had been no evidence to support Mr Vaz's ongoingclaims.
"They may have made that statement, but the rationale for thestatement is less clear," she said. "The game was discovered not inWarren Leblanc's possession but in the victim's possession.
"It does not feature the use of a hammer, and it was not consideredby the police to be a contributory factor. No such connection was eversuggested in court.
"Indeed, the prosecution and defence barristers insisted in courtthat the video game had played no part in the killing. It was reportedthat Leblanc was motivated by fear of a gang to which he owed money."
Mr Vaz, who complained in part of his speech that proponents of hisargument have been "pilloried in the press that is sponsored by thevideogames industry," went on to discuss the differences between filmsand videogames.
"That is quite simple: videogames are different because they areinteractive," he said. "People who are watching a film at the cinemacannot participate in what is happening on the screen, or if they dothey are removed from the cinema.
"However, someone sitting at a computer playing a videogame, orsomeone with one of those small devices that young people have thesedays, the name of which I forget…PlayStations or PSPs, something ofthat kind…Well, whatever they are called, when people play thesethings, they can interact.
"They can shoot people; they can kill people," he said, beforeadding: "As the honourable gentleman said, they can rape women,"referring to Mr Brazier's earlier comments on films - not videogames -which appear to glorify the act.
Ed Vaizey, Conservative member for Wantage, questioned that lastpoint later on - addressing Mr Brazier as Mr Vaz had left already -"Ichecked the point with the BBFC and found it to be completely unawareof any such videogame," he said.
"Is the honourable gentleman aware of any videogame that has as itsintention the carrying out of rape or that allows the game player tocarry out such an act? The BBFC and I are unaware of any such game."
Mr Brazier replied that he was unable to comment on "the rape in games issue".
Following the session, which lasted almost five hours and endedbefore proceedings had been completed, the vote on whether or not theBill will proceed to a Second Reading will now take place when thedebate resumes on Friday, when Ms Hodge will complete her response tothe various remarks made during the first session, including thosebelonging to Mr Vaz.
As well as a CMS Select Committee investigation into the effects ofviolence on the internet and in videogames, the Byron Report set up bythe Prime Minister is due to report before the end of this month.