Sky: 21st Century Fox Takeover Bid Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate

Sky: 21st Century Fox Takeover Bid

Peter Bone Excerpts
Monday 12th December 2016

(8 years 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

Matt Hancock Portrait Matt Hancock
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

It will be quite hard, until formal notification, to know the shape of the proposals. When we do, we will have a look at them.

Peter Bone Portrait Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)
- Hansard - -

I congratulate the shadow Minister on tabling the urgent question, and I completely understand the Minister’s problem of not wanting to judge an application of which notification has not actually been given, but will he take it from today that there is a concern across the House about this issue and will he undertake to keep the House fully informed? That is the message coming across.

Matt Hancock Portrait Matt Hancock
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

Yes, of course, I would be delighted to keep the House as informed as is appropriate under the legislation the House has passed. I apologise to the House if some of my remarks sound a little reticent, but it will understand that this is a quasi-judicial decision. The Secretary of State does not want her position prejudiced—I do not want to do that—but all these considerations will be taken into account.