BBC Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate

BBC

David Morris Excerpts
Monday 12th November 2012

(12 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text

Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.

Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.

This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record

Maria Miller Portrait Maria Miller
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I am sure these are things for the hon. Member for West Bromwich East (Mr Watson) to think about himself, but I fully understand the point my hon. Friend makes.

David Morris Portrait David Morris (Morecambe and Lunesdale) (Con)
- Hansard - -

A lot has been said in recent weeks about pay at the BBC, but anybody who has ever tried to ask a question about the BBC at the Table Office will know that it is near enough impossible. In the collegiate spirit of the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Sir Gerald Kaufman), does the Secretary of State not think it time to reform some of the BBC’s archaic ways and allow Members of this House to find out exactly what is going on there, so that perhaps a lot of the debacles we have seen over the past few weeks will not happen again?

Maria Miller Portrait Maria Miller
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

The ability to scrutinise the BBC has been strengthened under this Government; my hon. Friend asks whether we should go further. Clearly all of us in public office—indeed, all public institutions—have transparency and scrutiny as our everyday business, and I think that goes for every single public organisation.