Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if the Prime Minister will instruct each relevant Department to authorise the National Archive to make available access to all the material requested by Rupert Burgess and Clive Stafford-Smith in relation to the investigation and prosecution of the Hosein brothers for killing Mrs Muriel McKay; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The National Archives has not received a direct request for information from Mr Clive Stafford-Smith for access to material relating to the investigation and prosecution of the Hosein brothers.
The National Archives received a Freedom of Information (FOI) request on 02 June 2021 on behalf of one of the parties named for access to ten Crown Prosecution Service records (DPP 2/4806-4815) and one Attorney General’s Office record (LO 2/192).
The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 gives applicants the right to know whether a public authority holds the information requested and to have it communicated to them, subject to any exemptions, which may apply. Some of the information contained within the requested files has been made accessible to the public, however the majority remained closed because the information is exempt under sections 38 (1) (a) and 40 (2) (by virtue of section 40 (3A) personal data exemption) of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. As exemptions apply, The National Archives cannot make these records available to the applicant or to the public in general.
The FOI process is not subject to Ministerial or Prime Ministerial approval. There is, however, an appeals process in which any application of FOI exemptions/closure can be re-reviewed.
Outside of the FOI process, individual government departments may allow discretionary access to their historic files, having first recalled them from The National Archives for the purposes of review, as permitted by the Public Records Act (1958).
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when the National Archive received a request from Clive Stafford-Smith, in the interests of Krishna Maharaj and Rupert Burgess for the family of Mrs Muriel McKay, for access to material relating to the investigation and prosecution of the Hosein brothers; which Ministers will need to approve that request; and whether she expects the material requested will be made available.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The National Archives has not received a direct request for information from Mr Clive Stafford-Smith for access to material relating to the investigation and prosecution of the Hosein brothers.
The National Archives received a Freedom of Information (FOI) request on 02 June 2021 on behalf of one of the parties named for access to ten Crown Prosecution Service records (DPP 2/4806-4815) and one Attorney General’s Office record (LO 2/192).
The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 gives applicants the right to know whether a public authority holds the information requested and to have it communicated to them, subject to any exemptions, which may apply. Some of the information contained within the requested files has been made accessible to the public, however the majority remained closed because the information is exempt under sections 38 (1) (a) and 40 (2) (by virtue of section 40 (3A) personal data exemption) of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. As exemptions apply, The National Archives cannot make these records available to the applicant or to the public in general.
The FOI process is not subject to Ministerial or Prime Ministerial approval. There is, however, an appeals process in which any application of FOI exemptions/closure can be re-reviewed.
Outside of the FOI process, individual government departments may allow discretionary access to their historic files, having first recalled them from The National Archives for the purposes of review, as permitted by the Public Records Act (1958).
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many responses to the Channel 4 consultation have been received as of 16 December 2021; how many have been considered; and whether those responses are affecting the Government's position on the comparative merits of (a) maintaining the present ownership of Channel 4 and (b) alternatives.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The Government has consulted on the best ownership model to support Channel 4 for years to come. Our public consultation closed on 14 September. We have received around 60,000 responses, and we are carefully considering all the views and evidence we have received to inform the government’s policy-making and final decision.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what regulatory barrier prevents non-public broadcasters adopting any or all of Channel 4's obligations and methods of operating.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The government wants Channel 4 to remain a public service broadcaster. Public service broadcasters - publicly and privately owned - have both benefits and obligations. Our consultation document outlines that we see the value in many of these obligations.
Channel 4’s ability to make distinctive content, and its work with independent producers are precisely the strengths we would protect and expect any potential buyer to look to develop and nurture, should we decide to proceed with a sale. We do not therefore subscribe to a false binary choice between public service remit and privatisation.
Indeed, we already have two privately-owned - and very successful - public service broadcasters in the examples of ITV and Channel 5. Both continue to deliver public service objectives.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on (a) inclusiveness and (b) diversity of a possible sale of Channel 4.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
Our consultation document outlines that the government sees the great value delivered to society through the obligations placed on Channel 4 to broadcast content appealing to diverse audiences. We have sought views on whether to retain or increase such obligations through our consultation.
We consider that Channel 4’s ability to reach a diverse range of audiences is a strength to be celebrated and maintained into its future, and that this is not at odds with private investment - in fact, this is an important facet of Channel 4’s brand that is likely to be an attractive asset to nurture and develop for any potential buyer.
We have consulted on the best ownership model to support Channel 4 for years to come.
Our public consultation closed on 14 September. We are carefully considering the views and evidence we have received to inform the government’s policy-making and final decision.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what is her assessment of the impact on the intellectual property of independent producers from a possible sale of Channel 4.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
Channel 4 has played an important role in supporting independent production in the UK. The sector is now flourishing and increasingly less reliant on income from UK PSBs. Total UK production sector revenues increased by more than 30% over the five years to 2019, reaching £3.3 billion in 2019. The export market for UK content has continued to grow with the sector’s international revenues exceeding £1 billion in 2019, 30% more than the previous year.
Channel 4’s strengths in working with independent producers are precisely the kinds of attributes we would expect to be attractive to a buyer, and that we would expect any buyer to be likely to nurture and develop through new investment.
We have consulted on the best ownership model to support Channel 4 for years to come. Our public consultation closed on 14 September. We are carefully considering the views and evidence we have received to inform the government’s policy-making and final decision.
Whatever decision we make about the future ownership model of Channel 4 will not compromise this government’s commitment to the independent production sector and to the wider creative economy.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to assess the potential impact on (a) advertisers and (b) prospective consumers of a possible sale of Channel 4.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
Channel 4 is one of this country’s greatest broadcasting assets but we must think long-term about the challenges ahead and make sure it has the capital it needs to continue to contribute to the UK’s success in public service broadcasting.
We have consulted on the best ownership model to support Channel 4 into the future. Our public consultation closed on 14 September. We are carefully considering the views and evidence we have received, including from advertising stakeholders, to inform the government’s policy-making and final decision.
Whatever decision is made about Channel 4’s ownership model, any reforms will not compromise our commitment to the wider creative economy.