Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Karen Bradley and Christian Matheson

Wednesday 20th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[Karen Bradley]

I agree wholeheartedly with my right hon. Friend. As I said at the recent Police Federation conference in Northern Ireland, we owe all those who served an enormous debt of gratitude. Without the contribution of our armed forces and police, there would quite simply have been no peace process in Northern Ireland. I want to reassure my right hon. Friend that we are consulting on how to address the legacy of the past. This is a consultation.

[Christian Matheson (City of Chester) (Lab)]

Chester is a garrison city, and numerous constituents who have retired from the services are affected by uncertainty. I have no problem with crimes being investigated where there is evidence, but what comfort can the Secretary of State give those servicemen and ex-servicemen in my constituency who have served honourably and are living under a cloud of suspicion and uncertainty?

[Karen Bradley]

Those people are living under that cloud of uncertainty under the current system, and I want to see an end to the disproportionate focus on our veterans that is happening under that current mechanism. There is widespread agreement that the current system is not working. I urge the hon. Gentleman and all his constituents to respond to the consultation—we are consulting.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Karen Bradley and Christian Matheson

Thursday 29th June 2017 Commons Chamber

[Karen Bradley]

Yes I do and yes I can.

[Christian Matheson (City of Chester) (Lab)]

T2. Victims of phone hacking were given a cast-iron promise by this Government to have a full inquiry into the offences, but the Government are now trying to jettison Leveson 2. Why should the public have confidence in other public inquiries when the Government cannot keep their promises on previous inquiries?

[Karen Bradley]

The first part of the Leveson inquiry took place six years ago. Many things have happened since that time and many changes have taken place. The manifesto was clear, but there is a consultation process which I, as Secretary of State, have to go through.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Karen Bradley and Christian Matheson

Thursday 9th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Christian Matheson (City of Chester) (Lab)]

1. When she plans to announce the future status of Channel 4.

[The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Karen Bradley)]

In a fast-changing and challenging broadcasting environment, the Government want to ensure that Channel 4 has a strong and secure future, and that it can continue to provide for audiences and support the creative industries across the UK. The Government are looking at a broad range of options, and we will set out our plans in that area in due course.

[Christian Matheson]

It is a shame that the review is not as fast-changing and fast-moving as the broadcasting environment. At the end of this month, the review will have taken longer than the BBC charter review, so can we now put the review out of its misery, and declare that Channel 4 works well and will not be privatised?

[Karen Bradley]

Unlike the BBC charter review, this is not a formal process and there is no end date at which the charter expires, as there is with the BBC, but we do need to make sure that we get this right. I want to see Channel 4 survive, flourish and prosper in what is an ever-changing broadcasting world, as the hon. Gentleman rightly says, and that means that we are working with Channel 4 to get the right deal for viewers and the whole country.

Sky: 21st Century Fox Takeover Bid

Debate between Karen Bradley and Christian Matheson

Tuesday 20th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Karen Bradley]

I apologise again, but I cannot make comments on the merits of the bid or the process.

[Christian Matheson (City of Chester) (Lab)]

With reference to the question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Neath (Christina Rees) about the former Prime Minister David Cameron’s comment that the withdrawal of the decision was the right one, what assessment has the Secretary of State made about what might have changed between then and now?

[Karen Bradley]

I will be making no comments on any assessments that I have made at any time. I will be going through a full process in line with the legislation. I need to ensure the integrity of that process for all concerned.

[Karen Bradley]

I do not think anyone is in doubt about the hon. Gentleman’s views.

[Christian Matheson]

We are about yours.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Karen Bradley and Christian Matheson

Thursday 15th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Karen Bradley]

My hon. Friend will know that the Department for Education and the Home Office have carried out a joint consultation on mandatory reporting. I understand that the responses are being considered at the moment and that a response will be forthcoming shortly.

[Christian Matheson (City of Chester) (Lab)]

My contempt is reserved almost solely for the predators and abusers who carried out the crimes rather than the institutions, but the Secretary of State is right that there has to be a reflection on what went wrong and how we can maximise the robustness of safeguarding. Which individual sporting bodies has she met recently to have those discussions?

[Karen Bradley]

I do not wish to detain the House with a long list, so perhaps it would be helpful if I wrote to the hon. Gentleman with the full list of the bodies that my hon. Friend the sports Minister and I have spoken to.

Broadcasting

Debate between Karen Bradley and Christian Matheson

Tuesday 18th October 2016 Commons Chamber

[Karen Bradley]

The BBC has agreed to this through negotiations and discussions, and I am confident that the funding settlement puts the BBC on a sustainable long-term footing.

[Christian Matheson (City of Chester) (Lab)]

rose—

[Karen Bradley]

I will take one more intervention, and then I will make some progress.

[Christian Matheson]

I must correct my hon. Friend the Member for Rhondda (Chris Bryant). This funding mechanism is not to pay for free TV licences; it is, surely, to pay for a Conservative manifesto commitment.

[Karen Bradley]

The funding settlement is to pay for the very best BBC, which we all want to see. I am absolutely confident that this funding settlement will provide that.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Karen Bradley and Christian Matheson

Thursday 8th September 2016 Commons Chamber

[Christian Matheson (City of Chester) (Lab)]

4. What recent progress has been made on the implementation of the Leveson review; and if she will make a statement.

[The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Karen Bradley)]

The Government have delivered the majority of the recommendations set out in the Leveson inquiry report.

[Christian Matheson]

May I, too, congratulate the Secretary of State on her appointment? The long grass into which the Government have kicked the Leveson review is getting ever longer, but the issue is not going away. The previous Prime Minister signed a cross-party agreement, and this House overwhelmingly passed section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013, so when will she implement it?

[Karen Bradley]

I am taking my time to make sure I listen to all sides on this matter. I have already had a meeting with Hacked Off and I am going to meet all representatives; I wanted to hear from all victims of press abuse. I will take my time and make sure I make the decision in the right way.

Return of Kings

Debate between Karen Bradley and Christian Matheson

Thursday 4th February 2016 Commons Chamber

[Karen Bradley]

My hon. Friend will understand that I cannot comment on individual cases, but I agree that it is much better to exclude than to deal with such people when they are here. This Home Secretary has excluded more foreign national offenders and foreign nationals than any other.

[Christian Matheson (City of Chester) (Lab)]

I can see no possible benefit from this individual being allowed into the UK now or in the future, so may I add my voice to those of hon. Members who say that, although we understand that the Minister cannot comment on individual cases, we hope that very soon she will be able to do so by saying that this person is excluded permanently from the UK? She cannot talk about operational police matters; is there a general steer that she would hope to give to the police as to their response to this matter?

[Karen Bradley]

I am sure the hon. Gentleman’s comments will have been heard. I have the Police Minister sitting next to me and he has also heard the hon. Gentleman’s comments.