BVA response to the news regarding the 1984 Video Recordings Act

BVA logoBVA logo25th August 2009: Statement in response to the news that due to an administrative error by the then Government, the 1984 Video Recordings Act was not registered with the European Commission.

Lavinia Carey, Director General of the British Video Association says:
 
“BVA distributors will continue to conduct their business as usual, submitting works to the BBFC for classification and wording for consumer advice on packaging so that the public can continue to rely on the labelling supplied by responsible video distributors.”
 
We have asked our members to continue to comply with the current process and submit materials to the BBFC, remaining compliant with the provisions of the VRA on a voluntary and best practise basis.”
 
Barbara Follett, Minister for Culture and Tourism has written to representatives of the video industry, and it states that the priority of the government is to remedy this situation as quickly as possible and that they are doing all they can to ensure there is a robust system of classification for films and video games in the UK.
 
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport also said that it had received legal advice that people who had previously been prosecuted and convicted would be unable to overturn their convictions or seek compensation.