As I forecast in a posting a week ago, the Government has today issued a consultation paper proposing that it become a criminal offence simply to view certain categories of extreme adult pornography, namely material which is “graphic and sexually explicit and which contains actual scenes or realistic depictions of serious violence, bestiality or necrophilia”. In my capacity as independent Chair of the Internet Watch Foundation, I have done five television interviews - three recorded and two live - on the proposals.

The first live broadcast was a session on BBC One Breakfast Time where I was paired with Dr Chris Evans, founder of a group called Internet Freedom, who believes that no material should be banned and people should be able to make their own minds. I explained that the IWF does not have a position on what material should be illegal; this is a matter for Government and Parliament. But, as an individual, I welcome the proposals and explained the arguments in support of them.

Meanwhile the official statement from the Internet Watch Foundation is a cautious ‘take note’ position and the “Financial Times” has a report reflecting the concerns of Internet service providers as to what their role will be under the new law. Certainly this is only the start of the debate: Parliament will have to clarify the actual nature of the offence and the penalty and Government, law enforcement and industry will have to work out how best to give effect to any new law.