Protection of Children Act 1978

The Protection of Children Act 1978 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Related Topics:
Act - Parliament of the United Kingdom

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The Protection of Children Bill was put before Parliament as a Private Member's Bill by Cyril Townsend in the 1977-1978 session of Parliament.

Related Topics:
Private Member's Bill - Cyril Townsend

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This Bill came about as a result of the concern over child pornography and the sexual exploitation of children that arose in the United States of America in 1977 and the uptake of this cause in the UK by Mary Whitehouse and the press. At the same time, an organisation called the Paedophile Information Exchange was attracting much media attention. In this atmosphere, Whitehouse's National Viewers' and Listeners' Association was able to campaign in support of the Bill and present a petition bearing 1,600,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street.

Related Topics:
Child pornography - United States of America - Mary Whitehouse - Paedophile Information Exchange - National Viewers' and Listeners' Association - 10 Downing Street

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When the progress of the Bill was threatened by MP Ian Mikardo, who blocked it to protest against tactics being used by the Conservative party to block Edward Fletcher's bill on employment protection, the Prime Minister, James Callaghan, stepped in to ensure that the Bill received the time required in order to become law (Bolton Evening News, 18 April 1978)

Related Topics:
Ian Mikardo - Conservative party - Edward Fletcher - James Callaghan - 18 April - 1978

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