Announcing the change, BBFC Director, Robin Duval said:
"The BBFC receives a steady stream of letters from parents asking why they cannot make the decision about whether their child can see a '12' rated film. We know that the development and maturity of children varies considerably and parents know best what their children can deal with. It is important, however, that young children have an adult with them in case they are disturbed by anything they may see.

"Before making any decision the Board carried out research to establish whether the majority of the public wanted to move to an advisory rating at '12'. We ran a pilot exercise in Norwich for seven weeks at the end of last year when children under 12 were allowed to see '12' films with an adult. We asked people coming out of the cinemas for their views in addition to polling in the street and focus groups. We followed that up this year with a national survey involving over 4000 people from around the UK. The outcomes were almost identical. There was no majority in favour of changing to an advisory rating unless two elements were included: the accompaniment of under 12 children by an adult and the provision of easily available information - Consumer Advice - about the content of '12A' films. When both of those factors were included, 70 per cent of people, both in Norwich and nationwide, supported an advisory '12' rating."

Mr Duval went on to say:
"Advisory ratings for this age group are now the norm in most of Europe, America, Australia, Canada and elsewhere. The British public, however, wanted information about why the film had been given a '12A' rating to be available before they reached the box office. As well as information about levels of violence, bad language, sexual references etc appearing on film posters and TV commercials, they wanted to see the information in their local press. We have been working closely with both the film distributors and the cinema exhibitors to ensure that Consumer Advice is in place before making the final decision to change to '12A'. I am delighted to say that the film distributors are already putting Consumer Advice on posters and commercials for 'U', 'PG' and '12' films and all of the major cinema chains and many of the independents are already including it in their listings in local newspapers for '12' films. This will continue through to the '12A'."

The change to '12A' will take effect from Friday. A new orange '12A' symbol has been introduced for cinema films, with the old '12' symbol remaining for video. There will continue to be films in the cinema with the old '12' certificate, which were classified before today's announcement. But all '12' films, as well as newly-rated '12A' films, will be open to children under 12 accompanied by an adult. The Board will use the same Guidelines to classify '12A' films as have been used to classify '12' films and videos.
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BBC News

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THE NEW '12A' CERTIFICATE FOR THE CINEMA

Q What does the 'A' in '12A' stand for?
A It stands for 'accompanied' and it also stands for 'advisory'.

Q Does the '12A' replace the '12' certificate?
A Yes, for the cinema only. There are no plans at present to change the '12' certificate for video.

Q What does the '12A' mean in practice?
A Children under the age of 12 will be able to see a '12A' film at the cinema if they are accompanied by a person of 18 years or
over. The adult must watch the film with the child or children and not just pay for the ticket.

Q Why are you not insisting that it is a parent who accompanies the child?
A We asked both the people who took part in the Norwich pilot and the national survey whether only a parent should take a child
into a '12A'. The majority (64 per cent nationally) said that a parent was preferable, but almost as many (59 per cent) said that any
responsible adult of 18 or over would be acceptable. This clearly allows for aunts, uncles, older siblings, teachers or other parents
to take children to see a '12A' film. The staff in the cinemas are well able to judge whether the adult with the children is 'responsible'
and can of course refuse entry to anyone if they are not satisfied.

Q But will you be giving any advice about accompaniment?
A We are recommending that cinema staff use the same commonsense tests as they have always used when adults have
accompanied younger children. We are reminding them that they have a duty of care to all the public but particularly to their
younger cinema-goers. They should certainly report to the police any individual of whom they are suspicious. Cinema licences
include a requirement that there is an adequate number of staff, and many cinemas require that a member of staff be in each
auditorium every 20 minutes or so to look out for any suspicious behaviour. Aside from that, our advice is that cinema staff require
that the 'responsible adult' be over 18, and has a family or professional relationship (e.g., a teacher) with at least one of the children
accompanied, and that the adult should buy the tickets and accompany the under-12s throughout the screening.

Q Does this mean that very young children could see a '12A' film?
A Only if an accompanying adult accepts responsibility. The BBFC considers the content to be suitable for children of 12 and over.
We would not recommend taking very young children to see '12A' rated films, but parents or guardians must decide whether the
film is suitable for their child or children.

Q So why don't you simply set a minimum age limit e.g. 8 or 10 years old?
A This has not generally been found necessary in other countries which have used the '12A' system. We would prefer to rely upon
the good judgement of parents, supported by good consumer advice. But we will monitor the '12A' closely during its first year or so
and we would not rule out any modifications based upon national experience.

Q Why not a '12A' for video as well?
A Because it would make no useful difference to the present situation for video. The present video '12' means that you have to be
12 or above to rent or buy the video.

Q What will happen to old '12'-rated films that are still showing?
A All '12'-rated cinema films will immediately become '12A'. No doubt some of them will still have the old '12' certificate on the front
and in their publicity; but they will be treated as a '12A'.

Q Why are you changing the '12' to a '12A'? Are you bowing to commercial pressure?
A The initiative for the '12A' was entirely the Board's and was not asked for the industry. The Board receives a steady stream of
letters from parents of children who are under 12 asking why they cannot make the decision about whether their child should see a
'12' rated film. We know the development and maturity of children varies considerably. The equivalent of a '12A' is the norm in most
of Europe and North America.

Q How do you know the public are behind the decision?
A The Board ran a pilot in Norwich for seven weeks at the end of 2001. The results of the research, which involved polling before the
pilot, focus groups and polling people coming out of the cinemas during the pilot, showed that people in Norwich would only agree
to changing the '12' rating to an advisory rating provided children under 12 were accompanied by an adult and that consumer advice
about the content of the film was available, not just in the cinemas, but in the cinema listings in the local newspapers. The Board
followed this up with a national survey in May 2002 of around 4000 people throughout the UK, with specific emphasis on parents.
The national survey produced similar results to the Norwich research with 70 per cent agreeing that the category should become
advisory but only with adult accompaniment and consumer advice in the local listings.

Q Does this mean that '12A' films will be 'softer' than the current '12' because young children will be able to see them?
A No, the published Guidelines for '12' will remain unchanged. This is why it is essential that parents have access to information
about why a film has been made a '12A' before they go to the cinema. Was it because of the violence (how strong was it?),
because of bad language, because of some moderate graphic sex scenes, or for some other reason?

Q Where will they get this information?
A The cinema industry has promised to provide it in all its main publicity. So a line of advice, explaining why the film is a '12A', will
appear on posters, in TV advertisements, and alongside the billings in local newspapers. The information will be generated by the
BBFC every time it classifies a film.

Q Should we expect a '15A' and an '18A' soon?
A No. We have no plans at all for making these ratings advisory. Neither of these categories is suitable for young children,
accompanied or otherwise. At present, issues of potential harm to children are kept out of 'U', 'PG' or '12'/'12A' rated films though
they may be allowed in '15' and '18' rated films. Examples are the glamorisation of easily accessible weapons like knives, or
dangerously imitable behaviour like how to hang yourself, or drug abuse. They may be allowed at '15' and '18' (if the context justifies
them) and that is why '15' and '18' will remain mandatory for the foreseeable future.