Chief censor says children could soon view adult-rated films at 13

Children will be able to watch movies that are currently rated 18 in cinemas within a decade, Britain's retiring chief film censor predicted last night.

The growth of opportunities to view unregulated movies on the internet has made the abandonment of compulsory 15 and 18 certificates inevitable, according to Andreas Whittam Smith, outgoing president of the British Board of Film Classification.

His comments to The Independent on Sunday raise the prospect of young children being granted access to films featuring high levels of sex and violence, as long as they have the permission of their parents.

"In the very long-term, all ratings will become advisory," he said. "There will be a long pause before the next relaxation, but it will all happen in a 10-year period."

Mr Whittam Smith's remarks come as the BBFC prepares to downgrade the 12 rating to an "advisory-only" certificate like PG. The move, which is being finalised after months of consultation with parents around the UK, will allow children of all ages to watch such films as Spider-Man and Pearl Harbor, provided they are accompanied by "responsible" adults.

Mr Whittam Smith, who steps down this week after four years in his post, said he believed the change would be in place by the autumn.

"There's nothing in a 12 that is terribly serious, and parents are the best judges of what their children can watch, provided they are given the right information about a film's content by cinemas and distributors."

However, Mr Whittam Smith, an advocate of "light touch" regulation, stressed that parents must not abuse their new censorship powers. Indicating that he could foresee a time when the BBFC might tighten rules governing PGs to prevent adults dropping children off at the cinema to watch films alone, he said: "It's very irresponsible for parents to leave children on their own and assume they're going to be fine.

"As a child I watched something and was haunted by it for months, but my parents knew nothing about that.

"Quite a few parents perceive PG as being the same as U, but it means what it says: 'Parental Guidance'."

Mr Whittam Smith said he believed the most problematic issue facing his successor, who is expected to be named within a fortnight, would be how to treat films containing acts of sado-masochism. Vivid depictions of sexual violence are still largely regarded as taboo by the BBFC.