Media and Lobby Briefings Debate

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Department: Leader of the House

Media and Lobby Briefings

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem Excerpts
Tuesday 4th February 2020

(4 years, 9 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Earl Howe Portrait Earl Howe
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My Lords, I do not have a list of who was invited. I was merely given the bald statistics on numbers. If I can illuminate the noble Baroness on that matter, I will be happy to write to her.

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem Portrait Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (LD)
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My Lords, if the Government are committed to freedom of the press, why are government Ministers boycotting the “Today” programme?

Earl Howe Portrait Earl Howe
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My Lords, there is no boycott of the “Today” programme. It is entirely up to Ministers what programmes they choose to appear on. The “Today” programme does not have a constitutional right for Ministers to appear on it. Government Ministers have appeared on a range of national and regional programmes only this weekend and, indeed, yesterday and today. We have to remember that every government department has communication teams who communicate the work of the Government and Ministers very regularly indeed.