Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

David Davis Excerpts
Thursday 20th June 2013

(10 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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David Davis Portrait Mr David Davis (Haltemprice and Howden) (Con)
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T5. When News International was allowed to buy The Times newspaper, the condition was set that the editor could not be changed without the explicit approval of the non-executive directors. In the event that such a convention was broken, what would the Secretary of State’s powers of intervention be?

Maria Miller Portrait Maria Miller
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My right hon. Friend will know that John Witherow has been appointed as acting editor of The Times. Appointing a new editor of The Times is a matter for the independent national directors and shareholders. There would be an opportunity to intervene to enforce the requirement for separate publications to be maintained; that is really where my powers come into play.