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Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Lead member
James Cleverly
Answering member
Stephen Doughty
Department
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Type
Debates on delegated legislation; Delegated Legislation Committee proceedings
Committee
Second Delegated Legislation Committee
Date
6 June 2022
House
House of Commons

My Lords, a copy of these regulations were laid before this House on 27 April. They were laid under the powers provided by the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, and they came into effect under the “made affirmative” procedure. I say from the outset that this instrument has been...

Member
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 May 2022
Reference
822 cc29-30GC
House
House of Lords

My Lords, the Liberal Democrats support this instrument, having consistently maintained views the Minister has indicated. This is the ninth sets of such regulations that we have scrutinised and supported. The Minister is absolutely right that, as this illegal aggression continues, depressingly, we continue to see horrors inflicted on the...

Member
Lord Purvis of Tweed (Liberal Democrat)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 May 2022
Reference
822 cc30-2GC
House
House of Lords

My Lords, briefly, I support what was just asked about Canada. Canada is not just some other country; it is part of Five Eyes. If Putin sees Five Eyes as split, it is just as bad as the EU being split—even worse, in some ways. There has to be a...

Member
Lord Rooker (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 May 2022
Reference
822 c32GC
House
House of Lords

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Rooker, has just raised an interesting point. Adding to the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, it is conceivable that maybe the overseas territories ought to be in someone’s sights as well. That may be a point for consideration by the Minister.

The noble...

Member
Viscount Waverley (Crossbench)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 May 2022
Reference
822 cc32-3GC
House
House of Lords

My Lords, I start by saying once again that we are absolutely at one with the Government on their sanctions in relation to holding Putin and his Government to account for their outrageous violation of international law. It breaks multiple treaties and commitments, including the fundamental principles of the UN...

Member
Lord Collins of Highbury (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 May 2022
Reference
822 cc33-4GC
House
House of Lords

On loopholes, in June the St Petersburg International Economic Forum will take place, and it will involve many organisations from around the world. I understand that its mantra will be, “New markets, new opportunities”. I also understand that some 60 or 70 organisations can in one part or another be...

Member
Viscount Waverley (Crossbench)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 May 2022
Reference
822 c34GC
House
House of Lords

The noble Viscount is absolutely right. The real issue here, on our policy of ensuring that Putin cannot act with impunity, is that this Government act with one voice and that all departments—be it the FCDO, the Home Office or the Department for International Trade—act in concert. I hope the...

Member
Lord Collins of Highbury (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 May 2022
Reference
822 c34GC
House
House of Lords

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have contributed to today’s short but insightful and timely discussion. I will address the important questions that been raised. If there are questions that I do not cover specifically, I will flag them and write to noble Lords in the usual way.

First...

Member
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 May 2022
Reference
822 cc34-6GC
House
House of Lords

I am grateful to the Minister for responding. I question two aspects. One regards VPNs. I understand entirely the point the Minister made, which is sensible, but he will be aware that, as I mentioned, although we do not seek to extend the criminalisation to users, there seems to be...

Member
Lord Purvis of Tweed (Liberal Democrat)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 May 2022
Reference
822 cc36-7GC
House
House of Lords

My Lords, I will just take this opportunity briefly to address VPNs. VPNs are a two-way street: a VPN can also enable information from outside Russia to get into Russia to enable those Russians who wish to understand what on earth is going on better to do so. That may...

Member
Viscount Waverley (Crossbench)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 May 2022
Reference
822 c37GC
House
House of Lords

The noble Viscount partly answered my point on VPNs. He is quite right that they are used as an important tool and we are working with key organisations on this. What is very different with the BBC World Service, for example, is that it reports independently of government and autonomously....

Member
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 May 2022
Reference
822 c37GC
House
House of Lords

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Lead member
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answering member
Lord Collins of Highbury
Department
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Type
Debates on delegated legislation
Date
23 May 2022
Reference
822 cc29-37GC
House
House of Lords

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk that revoking the broadcasting licence of the Russian news channel RT may increase interest in its broadcasts.

Asked by
Lord Balfe (Conservative)
Answering body
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
31 March 2022
Reference
HL7189
House
House of Lords

We have entered the eighth day of Ukraine’s fight for survival. In the week since Vladimir Putin launched his unprovoked, premeditated and barbaric attack on a free and peaceful neighbour, the UK has led a united Western response to his brutality. We are working with allies around the world on...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 cc1195-7
House
House of Commons

I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of her statement. I associate myself and the official Opposition with the comments that the Secretary of State has made about the courage of the Ukrainian people and those who are returning to fight for their country. I add my support...

Member
Chris Elmore (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 cc1197-8
House
House of Commons

indicated dissent.

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1198
House
House of Commons

I can see the Secretary of State shaking her head, so does she agree with me and the Opposition that we must do more to ensure a total ban from tennis tournaments, ensuring that no Russian or Belarusian will play at Wimbledon?

On culture, we have seen British institutions, many of...

Member
Chris Elmore (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1198
House
House of Commons

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his comments. He has raised some valid points, all of which are being addressed. He spoke about athletes competing under neutral flags, tennis players coming to Wimbledon and other sporting events. As I said in my statement, I am holding a summit this afternoon...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1199
House
House of Commons

I welcome my right hon. Friend to the Dispatch Box. In line with her brief, I point out that we now know today that US intelligence has made it clear that President Xi knew about the invasion before it took place—in fact, he had asked the Russians to delay their...

Member
Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1199
House
House of Commons

I thank my right hon. Friend for his points. Obviously most of them are not in my brief and I cannot comment, but I am sure his comments have been heard. I cannot comment on his assertion that the invasion was held for the Beijing Olympics, because I do not...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1199
House
House of Commons

I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of her statement.

Last night people throughout Ukraine were once again subjected to vicious aerial bombardment from Russian forces, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has now confirmed that over 1 million people have fled Ukraine, with countless more displaced...

Member
Chris Law (Scottish National Party)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 cc1199-1200
House
House of Commons

I do not think the hon. Gentleman actually listened to my statement. We have been very strong in leadership right from day one—from the day Putin launched his illegal action. It is not the case that all roads lead back to Brexit, particularly in war. We, as politicians, are not...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1200
House
House of Commons

Yesterday, the General Assembly of the United Nations voted overwhelmingly to condemn Russia for its aggression and to call for it to withdraw its forces from Ukraine. It is now clearly apparent that internationally, Russia is a pariah. Vladimir Putin operates on the basis of the dissemination of lies, so...

Member
David Jones (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1200
House
House of Commons

I absolutely agree with my right hon. Friend. He may have seen that I published the letter that I wrote to Ofcom shortly after I wrote it last week. It has launched 27 live investigations into Russia Today. I hope that it expedites those investigations, and that they result in...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1201
House
House of Commons

I warmly commend the Secretary of State for the statement that she made earlier and on the tears that she was pouring out over journalists such as Clive Myrie, who are doing a fabulous job. I hope she will not be cross with me now—she likes being cross with me—but...

Member
Chris Bryant (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1201
House
House of Commons

I thank my friend the hon. Gentleman for his warm words. I think I just held the tears back—I am a blubberer, as he knows—and I commend him. For Members who have not been on these Benches for many years, he is not a Johnny-come-lately to this issue; he has...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 cc1201-2
House
House of Commons

I, too, commend my right hon. Friend for her statement. Truth will out. Millions of Russians and Ukrainians are turning to the BBC for their news. May I suggest to her that in the battle for democracy in Ukraine and more globally, we will have to better resource our hard...

Member
John Baron (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1202
House
House of Commons

I hear my hon. Friend’s points. The situation in which we find ourselves in the Department is that we are re-evaluating many policies that have been long standing for many years, not having ever believed that we would be in the situation we are in today. I have heard what...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1202
House
House of Commons

I join the Secretary of State in praising our BBC and the other free independent British journalists who have been proudly providing the finest objective independent journalism and putting their lives at risk, as she noted. That is in direct contrast to the squalid work of Putin’s misinformation organ, Russia...

Member
Diana Johnson (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1202
House
House of Commons

Because the infrastructure, the individual companies, the satellite that streamed Russia Today and the framework in which it operated were all sat in the EU, not the UK. The British television screens were in the UK, but the companies that operated Russia Today were in the EU.

As the right hon....

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 cc1202-3
House
House of Commons

I really welcome the statement made by my right hon. Friend. I do hope we hear that UNESCO is withdrawing its conference in Russia, because that is totally inappropriate. If it needs a home, I am sure we could host the conference in Belper in Mid Derbyshire. Can my right...

Member
Pauline Latham (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1203
House
House of Commons

We do not want to look as though we are being opportunistic in saying we could hold the conference in the UK, but I am sure many Members will have suggestions about their constituencies.

I want to make my position clear: no Russian or Belarusian athletes or sportspeople should be taking...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1203
House
House of Commons

I want to praise the Secretary of State for what she said about our broadcast journalists, and I would perhaps add Channel 4 News and Sky News to the list she gave. I do hope she takes that into account when considering the future of Channel 4. I also want...

Member
Lord Brennan of Canton (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1203
House
House of Commons

On the hon. Member’s first point, I do not think that my colleagues hit the APPG—

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1203
House
House of Commons

Could I just finish the sentence? I do not think that my colleagues hit the APPG because of the views of the hon. Member for Rhondda (Chris Bryant) on Putin; they did so because they wanted a different chair—and I was not one of them.

I cannot comment on the football...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 cc1203-4
House
House of Commons

I commend my right hon. Friend for her statement. She is absolutely right that culture is an important front in this war, as sport and the arts are part of any country’s DNA. Russia is spreading lies and disinformation through the media, so will she do all she can to...

Member
Andrew Jones (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1204
House
House of Commons

I absolutely agree. My point is that the work of all our journalists—all British journalists—is of vital importance at this time. The work of an independent and free media—free from political interference—is of the utmost importance. We are seeing that now with journalists across all of our media outlets, including...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1204
House
House of Commons

I also thank the Secretary of State for her comments, particularly on the journalists who are keeping us informed and ensuring the truth about what is happening in Ukraine gets out; we should never forget the threat to their own personal safety and the danger they are putting themselves in...

Member
Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1204
House
House of Commons

I speak as someone who ran a school in Africa for a year and waited every day to hear the words announcing the World Service. First, it is funded through

the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, not my Department, and also I have always said that the BBC is a...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1204
House
House of Commons

On behalf of everyone in the new city of Southend-on-Sea, I welcome the statement and congratulate the Secretary of State on this vital work. She is absolutely right that we must isolate Russia completely and utterly in terms of culture, media and sport, but she is also right that we...

Member
Anna Firth (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1205
House
House of Commons

I welcome my hon. Friend and thank her for her question and comments—and I welcome Southend to its city status, too. On the scope of the summit, we will be discussing all things sporting and relating to the war in Ukraine. There are some very difficult questions. Things are happening...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1205
House
House of Commons

I join the voices urging the Secretary of State to look very seriously at how we finance the total UK media effort, which should cut across Government Departments. In particular, I want to return to the point she rightly made about the important role of our incredibly brave journalists. Underlying...

Member
Tony Lloyd (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1205
House
House of Commons

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that comment, because we have not mentioned Ukrainian voices in providing information about what is happening in Ukraine via their own journalism and their own creative and inventive means of getting information out. He is also right to talk about our own journalists who...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1205
House
House of Commons

I commend my right hon. Friend for all the work she is doing to isolate Russia, and Putin in particular, at this time. I am sure she will join me in welcoming the decision by Formula 1, which I think has been made while she has been in the Chamber,...

Member
Bob Blackman (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1206
House
House of Commons

Very well said. I commend my Sports Minister, the Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Worcestershire (Nigel Huddleston), who has been holding conversations day and night since last Thursday. He has been working incredibly hard, along with officials in my...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1206
House
House of Commons

It is right that we concentrate on sanctions and ostracising the Putin regime, but we will have to look to the future. As people leave their elderly relatives, and children wave goodbye to their parents, generations and decades of hate are being sown. After the last world war, we learned...

Member
Karin Smyth (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1206
House
House of Commons

We know about those stories of people leaving their families, the harrowing pictures of fathers leaving their babies behind and mothers leaving for Poland while fathers fight, through our print media, so it is important to mention our print media. As well as our journalists broadcasting from a war zone,...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 cc1206-7
House
House of Commons

I thank the Secretary of State for her statement and work in ensuring that Putin is in a sporting and cultural Siberia of his own making. Not all heroes wear capes; many wear flak jackets. I thank all the journalists bringing unbiased news, bravely challenging disinformation and helping to make...

Member
Virginia Crosbie (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1207
House
House of Commons

What can I say other than yes? Absolutely. We are all watching every broadcast of the news and we are all reading the newspapers. We all know the danger that journalists in both broadcast and print media are putting themselves in every day. We in the House of Commons are...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1207
House
House of Commons

The Secretary of State is acutely aware, as we all are, just how spineless and pathetic football authorities are when faced with people with large amounts of money. In fact, the Football Association’s only fit and proper person test is one question: “How big is your wallet?” If they have...

Member
Lord Cryer (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1207
House
House of Commons

I thank the hon. Member for his words on the Crouch report, which is incredibly valuable and opportune at this time. Its recommendations involve the establishment of a regulator, which is no easy feat and involves the Treasury and funding. Since the report was published in, I believe, December, my...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1207
House
House of Commons

Not that I ever watched it, but 206 was the channel number for Russia Today in my office in Westminster—obviously, it is no longer “Russia tomorrow”. Will the Secretary of State give us words of resolve to say that Putin may be Russia today, but he will not be Ukraine...

Member
Mark Logan (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1207
House
House of Commons

What a fabulous statement—well said. What can I say? I can only agree. I cannot top that.

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1208
House
House of Commons

We are all completely indebted to our British journalists in Ukraine who are serving not just us but the Russian people who are tuning in to hear the truth—often for the first time—about what is happening. For that to continue, we need to ensure that the digital and telecoms infrastructure...

Member
Rachael Maskell (Labour; Co-operative Party)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1208
House
House of Commons

My officials have been holding conversations day and night—many operators are based in the US, not the UK—since Putin launched his horrendous war on Ukraine. We are doing everything that we can to assist both with telecoms structure and with ensuring that the messaging gets through to the people in...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1208
House
House of Commons

The Science Museum in my constituency has decided not to proceed with an exhibition relating to the trans-Siberian railway. Does my right hon. Friend agree that our cultural institutions have shown great leadership in ostracising Putin and his cronies?

Member
Felicity Buchan (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1208
House
House of Commons

I absolutely do. I commend every institution that has taken what some feel is a brave line, but it is the right line and the right position: not to engage with, not to display, not to interact with and not to provide facilities for any Russian cultural institution or exhibition....

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1208
House
House of Commons

Russia’s attack on Ukraine is unacceptable and must not be tolerated. The House has heard frequently about the financial difficulties facing the entertainment industry in the last two years. The Russian state ballet has had performances cancelled around the UK, with ticket holders to be refunded by venues. What support...

Member
Margaret Ferrier (Independent (affiliation))
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1208
House
House of Commons

Hopefully, those organisations’ insurance policies will kick in as a result, because this is war. At the moment, all of our efforts are focused on helping the people of Ukraine and helping to beat Putin.

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1208
House
House of Commons

I commend my right hon. Friend for the way in which she has worked with cultural and sporting bodies to ostracise Russia. The premier league is one of this country’s best cultural and economic exports around the world. Does she agree that ending the broadcasting of premier league games in...

Member
Scott Benton (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1209
House
House of Commons

Yes, I absolutely agree. That is our leadership—don’t do it, don’t promote Russia, don’t broadcast Russia. Sadly, local Russians will suffer and pay the cost as a result, but I am afraid that Putin’s actions have consequences. We are holding conversations this afternoon—we have ongoing conversations—with officials and sporting organisations...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1209
House
House of Commons

I commend the Secretary of State for her statement, her resilience, her courage and her clear and strong leadership, which we all admire in this Chamber. Some say that politics and sport should never mix, but this is not about politics; it is about life and death. Every way we...

Member
Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1209
House
House of Commons

The hon. Gentleman is right that sport and politics should never mix, but we are in the theatre of war and it is very different. Sport is a very useful tool in the theatre of war, particularly against someone like Putin—which is why sport and politics will very much

be...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 cc1209-1210
House
House of Commons

I warmly welcome my right hon. Friend’s statement. I very much agree with her approach of allowing the independent regulator to make decisions about who broadcasts in this country, because they are not decisions for politicians. However, may I say gently that next time she speaks to the chair of...

Member
Andy Carter (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1210
House
House of Commons

I am sure that the chair of Ofcom has heard my hon. Friend’s words loud and clear. On his second question, we cannot make any guarantees—it is a theatre of war. We cannot guarantee that the Russians will allow the BBC and British-based journalists in Russia to remain there; we...

Member
Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1210
House
House of Commons

Statement on culture as the third front in the Ukrainian war.

Lead member
Nadine Dorries
Department
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Type
Ministerial statements
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 cc1195-1210
House
House of Commons

They did!

Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
3 March 2022
Reference
709 c1203
House
House of Commons

I think the whole world shook just a little on its axis this morning as all our worst fears were realised with the invasion of Ukraine. Even though it has been fully expected, the full horror of what has happened this morning has been quite difficult to comprehend and process....

Member
Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party)
Type
Business questions
Date
24 February 2022
Reference
709 cc472-3
House
House of Commons

I genuinely thank the hon. Gentleman for his contribution. The uniting of this House in its objection to Russian aggression is fundamental to our response. A unified House means that we can present ourselves, along with our international colleagues, in a way that sends a strong message to the Russian...

Member
Mark Spencer (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
24 February 2022
Reference
709 c473
House
House of Commons

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. The leader of the SNP may have inadvertently misled the House earlier. He said that no SNP member appears on Russian television. I am told—[Interruption.] I thought he did; perhaps he would like to clarify. I thought he said that every member of...

Member
Michael Fabricant (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 February 2022
Reference
709 c322
House
House of Commons

It does have my support, and we will support it if it is used. We must also do more to defeat Putin’s campaign of lies and disinformation. Russia Today is his personal propaganda tool. I can see no reason why it should be allowed to continue broadcasting in this country, so will the Prime Minister now ask Ofcom to review its licence?

Asked by
Keir Starmer (Labour)
Answering body
Prime Minister
Prime Minister's questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
23 February 2022
Reference
709 c310
House
House of Commons

I believe my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has already asked Ofcom to review that matter, but we live in a democracy and a country that believes in free speech. I think it is important that we leave it to Ofcom to decide which media organisations to ban, rather than politicians—that is what Russia does.

Answered by
Boris Johnson (Conservative)
Answering body
Prime Minister
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
23 February 2022
Reference
709 c310
House
House of Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to review the broadcasting licences of Russian state-backed media outlets (a) RT and (b) Sputnik in relation to potential campaigns of misinformation.

Asked by
Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative)
Answering body
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
13 September 2021
Reference
41759
House
House of Commons

Letter dated 06/09/2021 from Boris Johnson MP to Jeremy Corbyn MP regarding a correction to comments made during Prime Minister's Questions on 22 July 2020 in relation to appearances by Jeremy Corbyn on Russia Today and Iranian Press TV. 1p.

Deposited by
Prime Minister
Type
Deposited papers
Date
6 September 2021
Reference
DEP2021-0723
House
House of Commons

Agreed to on question.

Lead member
Stewart Malcolm McDonald
Answering member
Nigel Adams
Department
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Type
Adjournment debates
Date
17 May 2021
Reference
695 cc512-520
House
House of Commons

I am grateful for this opportunity to discuss the situation in Ukraine. I will let the Minister get to his seat before we get into it. It has been some time since the House debated this issue, and we have even been given an extra nine minutes this evening to...

Member
Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
17 May 2021
Reference
695 cc513-4
House
House of Commons

I am grateful to you, Madam Deputy Speaker. As I was saying, I hope she is successful for that reason and many others, but I would like to know what the Government’s position on this is now. Has it changed? Has it evolved? Given the Salisbury

incident that happened a...

Member
Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
17 May 2021
Reference
695 cc514-6
House
House of Commons

I am grateful to the hon. Member for Glasgow South (Stewart Malcolm McDonald) for securing this debate and pay tribute to him for all the work he does in this place on behalf and in support of Ukraine. I understand he is a vice-chair of the all-party group on Ukraine,...

Member
Nigel Adams (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
17 May 2021
Reference
695 cc516-9
House
House of Commons

I am grateful to the Minister for taking my intervention. It is important to be accurate about what I said: I was not looking for RT to get sanctioned, closed down, or anything like that. Any suggestion of closing down a TV channel makes me instinctively wince. What I did...

Member
Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
17 May 2021
Reference
695 c518
House
House of Commons

The hon. Gentleman is right, and I apologise if I strayed down a different path to the one that he raised. However, he will understand that it is not appropriate to speculate about individuals who may or may not be sanctioned. We continue to consider designations under the global human...

Member
Nigel Adams (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
17 May 2021
Reference
695 cc518-520
House
House of Commons

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Ofcom about RT’s compliance with the requirements of holding a broadcasting licence in the UK.

Asked by
Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated)
Answering body
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
15 February 2021
Reference
HL13046
House
House of Lords

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which RT complies with the requirements of holding a broadcasting licence in the UK.

Asked by
Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated)
Answering body
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
15 February 2021
Reference
HL13045
House
House of Lords

There is a serious gap in our Official Secrets Act, laying bare for 18 months, and that is all the Prime Minister has to say about it. One way the Government could seek to clamp down on Russian influence is to prevent the spread of Kremlin-backed disinformation. Obviously, social media companies have a big role to play, but the report also highlights

“serious distortions in the coverage provided by Russian state-owned international broadcasters such as RT”.

The High Court has ruled that Russia Today broadcasts pose actual and potential harm. Does the Prime Minister agree that it is time to look again at the licensing for Russia Today to operate in the UK?

Asked by
Keir Starmer (Labour)
Answering body
Prime Minister
Prime Minister's questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
22 July 2020
Reference
678 c2144
House
House of Commons

I think this would come more credibly from the Leader of the Opposition had he called out the former Leader of the Opposition when he took money for appearing on Russia Today. He protested neither against the former Leader of the Opposition’s stance on Salisbury nor against his willingness to take money from Russia Today. The right hon. and learned Gentleman flip-flops from day to day. One day he is in favour of staying in the EU; the next day he is willing to accept Brexit. The Leader of the Opposition has more flip-flops than Bournemouth beach.

Answered by
Boris Johnson (Conservative)
Answering body
Prime Minister
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
22 July 2020
Reference
678 c2144
House
House of Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, in how many media markets do (a) Russia Today, (b) Press TV and (c) BBC World broadcast for 24 hours.

Asked by
Anne-Marie Trevelyan (Conservative)
Answering body
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
19 February 2019
Reference
219523
House
House of Commons

My Lords, is the Minister aware that Ofcom licenses many hundreds of broadcasters in London? This is a good example of what the noble Lord, Lord Howell, often refers to as Britain’s soft power. Is it not very important that we leave Ofcom to the job it was given with the powers it was given? The idea that some kind of political or government pressure was involved does not set a good precedent with regard to closing radio or television stations. We should let RT make its case to Ofcom, let Ofcom use its powers and then see what happens.

Asked by
Lord McNally (Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
28 January 2019
Reference
795 c911
House
House of Lords

I completely agree with the noble Lord. That is why I said in my initial Answer that it is right for Ofcom to make decisions without government interference.

Answered by
Lord Ashton of Hyde (Conservative)
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
28 January 2019
Reference
795 c911
House
House of Lords

My Lords, the Minister is right that Ofcom is not responsible to the Government. but am I right in saying that it is responsible to Parliament?

Asked by
Earl of Erroll (Crossbench)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
28 January 2019
Reference
795 c911
House
House of Lords

I am not sure; I do not know whether it is responsible in a statutory sense but of course ultimately Parliament can decide what it wants. The main point is that, in a democratic society such as ours, the regulator of the news and of broadcasters should not be linked to government, especially the Executive. That is the situation we have now and I believe that it is working well.

Answered by
Lord Ashton of Hyde (Conservative)
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
28 January 2019
Reference
795 c911
House
House of Lords

My Lords, investigations into RT are a matter for Ofcom as the independent communications regulator. On 20 December 2018, Ofcom announced that the RT news channel broke broadcasting rules in seven programmes. Ofcom is minded to consider a statutory sanction, and it is right that it makes decisions without government interference. On 17 January, RT announced that it will be seeking a judicial review of Ofcom’s findings. It is vital that as a society we remain vigilant regarding the spread of harmful disinformation, and Ofcom has strong powers to tackle it where it occurs in broadcast news.

Answered by
Lord Ashton of Hyde (Conservative)
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
28 January 2019
Reference
795 c909
House
House of Lords

My Lords, I am really grateful to the Minister for a very helpful Answer. Does he agree that it is ironic that RT takes advantage of the freedoms in this country that are not available in Russia? Will he nevertheless take some government action to stop RT, the Russian television agency, the Sputnik news agency, based in Edinburgh and London, and indeed all the social networks spreading the Kremlin’s fake news throughout this United Kingdom?

Asked by
Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Labour)
Oral questions - 1st Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
28 January 2019
Reference
795 c910
House
House of Lords

I thank the noble Lord. I agree, although I would not want to comment specifically on RT, for the reasons I have mentioned. However, in 2017 the Prime Minister said that the Russian state has been launching,

“a sustained campaign of cyber espionage and disruption”,

which has included,

“meddling in elections and hacking the Danish Ministry of Defence and the Bundestag”.

Therefore, I agree with the noble Lord’s view.

Regarding disinformation generally, we are working with the DfE to include information for schoolchildren on how to make judgments about what they read on social media, and a consultation will be coming out this year. We are also launching a programme of adult internet literacy, which will be very important in enabling older members of society to understand how this new technology works. In addition, we are engaged with international partners, such as the G7, the UN and the Council of Europe, but, above all, we are introducing the online harms White Paper, part of which will deal with tackling disinformation. Generally speaking, we will look at illegal harms and the much more difficult area of harms that are legal.

Answered by
Lord Ashton of Hyde (Conservative)
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
28 January 2019
Reference
795 c910
House
House of Lords

My Lords, will my noble friend take into account the fact that RT and other Russian actors have produced strong propaganda against the shale gas industry and that this is having a real effect on the debate in this country?

Asked by
Viscount Ridley (Conservative)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
28 January 2019
Reference
795 c910
House
House of Lords

As I have said, RT is regulated by Ofcom, which is independent of government, and I know that it will do its job.

Answered by
Lord Ashton of Hyde (Conservative)
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
28 January 2019
Reference
795 c910
House
House of Lords

I declare an interest as a series producer for the Smithsonian Channel and CNN. A week after the ruling on RT, the personal details and photographs of journalists working in Russia for the BBC were leaked online. This action was publicly condoned by President Putin’s press office and was seen as an act—indeed, part of a pattern—of intimidation. At a time when the BBC’s Russian service had seen an annual increase of 20% in its audience, what are the Government doing to protect the BBC World Service and the Russian service within the Russian Federation?

Asked by
Viscount Colville of Culross (Crossbench)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
28 January 2019
Reference
795 c910
House
House of Lords

The BBC’s charter was renewed for 10 years. Its job is to provide impartial news, and Ofcom regulates those services. It has been given the financial backing to do that—£3.8 million of licence-payers’ money. I believe that an extra £219 million has

been provided over the next four years to increase the number of Russian language programmes that the BBC World Service can produce.

Answered by
Lord Ashton of Hyde (Conservative)
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
28 January 2019
Reference
795 c910
House
House of Lords

It is clear that Ofcom is doing a thorough and effective job on this very difficult case. We hope it will move forward in an appropriate way. Does this case not raise the wider question of whether the holder of the broadcast licence here is a fit and proper person to carry out the duties for which it is responsible? The issue came up recently during the Sky takeover; there was common ground in the House that the existing rules, both through statute and through the precedents set in previous cases, mean that this is not an effective test. Are the Government going to do anything about that?

Asked by
Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Labour)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
28 January 2019
Reference
795 c911
House
House of Lords

I do not want to talk specifically about RT for the reasons I mentioned. Ofcom has sanctions which can include fines, suspension or revocation of a licence if Ofcom deems that suitable.

Answered by
Lord Ashton of Hyde (Conservative)
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
28 January 2019
Reference
795 c911
House
House of Lords

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the findings of Ofcom’s investigations into the RT news channel.

Asked by
Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Labour)
Oral questions - Lead
Status
Answered
Date
28 January 2019
Reference
795 cc909-911
House
House of Lords