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

To ask His Majesty's Government what restrictions they place on taxpayer-funded bodies in terms of their lobbying of parliamentarians and Government in relation to public policy affecting them, and in particular whether any such restrictions have been placed on the Press Recognition Panel.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not have policy responsibility for the Press Recognition Panel to ensure that there is no Government interference in its independent work. There is a long-standing principle that public bodies must be politically impartial, and must ensure the proper use of public money at all times. As a public body, the Press Recognition Panel is bound by the Cabinet Office rules for all such bodies.