Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions her Department has had with the BBC board on impartiality in news coverage of the conflict in Israel and Gaza.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport meets regularly with BBC leadership, including its Board, to discuss a range of topics.

The Government believes that it is absolutely fundamental that stories about the events in Gaza are told and heard, but are done so with the utmost care, transparency and sensitivity. Under its Royal Charter and Ofcom’s wider Broadcasting Code, the BBC has a duty to provide accurate and impartial news and information. This responsibility is particularly important when it comes to coverage of highly sensitive issues, such as the conflict in Gaza. Ofcom, as the BBC’s independent regulator, is responsible for ensuring BBC coverage is impartial and accurate under the Broadcasting Code and BBC Charter.