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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have had discussions with Ofcom regarding the editing of President Trump's speech in the Panorama programme Trump: A Second Chance?.

Senior Officials have regular contact with Ofcom leadership, on a variety of matters - the independence of the regulator is nevertheless vital and discussions always respect this distinction. Maintaining the BBC’s editorial standards is also very important, as is the need for the BBC to be accountable.

We support a strong independent BBC. In an age of disinformation, the argument for a robust impartial British news service is stronger than ever. It is important that trust is maintained and that errors are corrected quickly. Tim Davie and Deborah Turness have subsequently both taken responsibility for the mistakes they admit the BBC has made.

As the BBC is independent of Government, it is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of the BBC, to ensure that the BBC fulfils its obligations to audiences as outlined in the Charter and the Broadcasting Code.