Sky: 21st Century Fox Takeover Bid Debate

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Fiona Mactaggart

Main Page: Fiona Mactaggart (Labour - Slough)

Sky: 21st Century Fox Takeover Bid

Fiona Mactaggart Excerpts
Tuesday 20th December 2016

(8 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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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.

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Karen Bradley Portrait Karen Bradley
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It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the relationships that Prime Ministers of all parties over the years have had with members of the press.

Fiona Mactaggart Portrait Fiona Mactaggart (Slough) (Lab)
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The Secretary of State has made it very clear that she does not feel able to comment on the content of this decision because it is a quasi-judicial decision, but does she share my anxiety that the timing is all in the hands of Murdoch? She has a responsibility to respond within 10 days. It might not be an accident that he has chosen not to notify the bid at the moment, in order to ensure that Parliament cannot take a decision before she has to. What is she going to do about that, now or in future?

Karen Bradley Portrait Karen Bradley
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At the moment there is no decision to take. This is a decision that will be taken by me as the Secretary of State. I reassure the right hon. Lady that I will not be taking a break over Christmas, whether there is a formal notification or otherwise.