Business of the House

Duncan Hames Excerpts

Thursday 7th July 2011 Commons Chamber

[Duncan Hames (Chippenham) (LD)]

May we have an urgent debate on media regulation, given that Ofcom declines to exercise the fit and proper person test in relation to News International despite certain News of the World reporters having been jailed for their actions in the course of their work and the testimony of its executives before Parliament having been seriously undermined by the revelations that we have witnessed this week?

[Sir George Young]

I understand what my hon. Friend says, and he may have seen the exchange that took place on 30 June, when my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport answered an urgent question. He said:

“Before coming to such a view”—

on the application before him—

“I will of course seek once again the advice of the independent external regulators.”—[Official Report, 30 June 2011; Vol. 530, c. 1107.]

That includes Ofcom and, of course, the Office of Fair Trading.