Oral Answers to Questions

Virendra Sharma Excerpts

Tuesday 14th May 2019 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Mr Virendra Sharma (Ealing, Southall) (Lab)]

1. What recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Sri Lanka.

[The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr Jeremy Hunt)]

We remember the appalling terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday with enormous sadness and continue to assess the security situation. Operations are ongoing, and we assess that it is very likely that terrorists will try to mount further attacks.

[Mr Sharma]

What steps would the Secretary of State like to see the British media take to report more responsibly on terrorist attacks, especially following the decision by The Sun, the Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror to publish edited footage of the Christchurch murders despite a public request from the New Zealand police authorities not to do so?

[Mr Hunt]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. All Members of this House are proud that the media in this country are among the freest and most vibrant in the world, but it is important that they exercise that freedom with responsibility when reporting terrorist incidents. The broadcasting of the Christchurch footage was regrettable, and I very much support the comment by the Prime Minister of New Zealand that we should not use the name of the perpetrator of the attacks to give him the glory that he was seeking.