To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many of the 150 journalistic posts paid for by the BBC though the local democracy reporter's service have been awarded to Trinity Mirror Group.

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many of the 150 journalistic posts paid for by the BBC though the local democracy reporter's service have been awarded to Trinity Mirror Group.

My Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Rt Hon Matthew Hancock) has made the following Written Statement:

On 23 April I confirmed that I had written to Trinity Mirror plc and Northern & Shell Media Group Limited to inform them that I was minded...

My Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Rt Hon Matthew Hancock) has made the following Written Statement:

On 23 April I confirmed that I had written to Trinity Mirror plc and Northern & Shell Media Group Limited to inform them that I was minded...

My Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Rt Hon Matthew Hancock) has made the following Written Statement:

On 11 April 2018, under section 57(1) of the Enterprise Act 2002, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) formally brought to my attention the acquisition by Trinity...

My Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Rt Hon Matthew Hancock) has made the following Written Statement:

On 11 April 2018, under section 57(1) of the Enterprise Act 2002, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) formally brought to my attention the acquisition by Trinity...

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether he is seeking the advice of Ofcom on Trinity Mirror's purchase of Local World and the implications of that purchase for plurality in provision of local news.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether he is seeking the advice of Ofcom on Trinity Mirror's purchase of Local World and the implications of that purchase for plurality in provision of local news.

Thank you, Sir Hugh. I am very pleased with the turnout. I thought that there would be only a few of us, because of the nature of today. I know that some Members have constituency duties and may want to intervene and then leave. I completely understand that, given that...

Thank you, Sir Hugh. I am very pleased with the turnout. I thought that there would be only a few of us, because of the nature of today. I know that some Members have constituency duties and may want to intervene and then leave. I completely understand that, given that...

Does my hon. Friend share my distress at the departure of our hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby (Austin Mitchell), because that will deprive the House of diversity? Our greatest problem in the House is in getting a House that is as diverse as the nation, and his departure...

Does my hon. Friend share my distress at the departure of our hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby (Austin Mitchell), because that will deprive the House of diversity? Our greatest problem in the House is in getting a House that is as diverse as the nation, and his departure...

It will be a great loss. I want formally to thank my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby for his services to the NUJ in the House. He has championed a free and flourishing media in this country and the critically important role of journalists. I place on the...

It will be a great loss. I want formally to thank my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby for his services to the NUJ in the House. He has championed a free and flourishing media in this country and the critically important role of journalists. I place on the...

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that in many respects the Chancellor understated the importance of local media? It is not just that they are important to community life and local life. They are an essential part of local democracy—of holding people to account in a politically neutral way. That is...

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that in many respects the Chancellor understated the importance of local media? It is not just that they are important to community life and local life. They are an essential part of local democracy—of holding people to account in a politically neutral way. That is...

The Government have taken action on that matter and introduced a code of practice, which they have also enforced in some areas, so in that debate, things have moved on dramatically. I am aware that the hon. Gentleman has in the past tabled early-day motions on the subject and participated...

The Government have taken action on that matter and introduced a code of practice, which they have also enforced in some areas, so in that debate, things have moved on dramatically. I am aware that the hon. Gentleman has in the past tabled early-day motions on the subject and participated...

The Derby Telegraph, which is my local paper, is the midlands’ newspaper of the year and still sells 25,000 copies every day, but more importantly it has 71,000 unique users on the website every day. That is something that local newspapers are having to adapt to, and the question is...

The Derby Telegraph, which is my local paper, is the midlands’ newspaper of the year and still sells 25,000 copies every day, but more importantly it has 71,000 unique users on the website every day. That is something that local newspapers are having to adapt to, and the question is...

The important thing about the Chancellor’s statement yesterday was that it recognised that the local press is moving to a new model, exactly as the hon. Lady says, and it recognised also the need for Government intervention to support the transitional period. As I said, I think that that came...

The important thing about the Chancellor’s statement yesterday was that it recognised that the local press is moving to a new model, exactly as the hon. Lady says, and it recognised also the need for Government intervention to support the transitional period. As I said, I think that that came...

Will my hon. Friend recognise that there are different models for local newspapers? In my area, we have the Gazette group, which is based outside London and covers a very large number of areas, and it is barely a local paper because of that. We also have the Camden New...

Will my hon. Friend recognise that there are different models for local newspapers? In my area, we have the Gazette group, which is based outside London and covers a very large number of areas, and it is barely a local paper because of that. We also have the Camden New...

That is one of the issues that I want to raise later. If there is to be Government intervention and support, it has to be done in a way that maximises the public interest; it must not simply get swallowed up as a reduction in business rates and then be...

That is one of the issues that I want to raise later. If there is to be Government intervention and support, it has to be done in a way that maximises the public interest; it must not simply get swallowed up as a reduction in business rates and then be...

The hon. Gentleman is talking about the closure of newspapers; I want to give an example from my area. Before the Medway News closed, there was talk of merging it with the Kent Messenger, which is a brilliant paper. However, the burdensome regulations surrounding the merger prevented that from happening....

The hon. Gentleman is talking about the closure of newspapers; I want to give an example from my area. Before the Medway News closed, there was talk of merging it with the Kent Messenger, which is a brilliant paper. However, the burdensome regulations surrounding the merger prevented that from happening....

I thank the hon. Gentleman for giving way again. His speech makes me realise that the Derby Telegraph is a fortunate paper and that my area has been lucky with Northcliffe Media. In recent years, the Derby Telegraph has become much more of a campaigning newspaper. It has uncovered stories...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for giving way again. His speech makes me realise that the Derby Telegraph is a fortunate paper and that my area has been lucky with Northcliffe Media. In recent years, the Derby Telegraph has become much more of a campaigning newspaper. It has uncovered stories...

Individual newspapers and managements attended the meeting that the Minister convened with different sectors of the industry. The meeting demonstrated that, with good management, it can be done. An element of creativity and community engagement is needed, but the core of success is always quality journalism. If a company undermines...

Individual newspapers and managements attended the meeting that the Minister convened with different sectors of the industry. The meeting demonstrated that, with good management, it can be done. An element of creativity and community engagement is needed, but the core of success is always quality journalism. If a company undermines...

The hon. Gentleman is highlighting the brilliant work of local journalists such as those on the Medway Messenger. The chairman of the Kent Messenger Group, Geraldine Allinson, told me that where local journalists have done a brilliant job and their story has been used by, say, the BBC or other...

The hon. Gentleman is highlighting the brilliant work of local journalists such as those on the Medway Messenger. The chairman of the Kent Messenger Group, Geraldine Allinson, told me that where local journalists have done a brilliant job and their story has been used by, say, the BBC or other...

The BBC has entered into relationships with the local press in some areas, and the dissemination of information in that way has been fairly constructive. The NUJ is calling for a short, sharp inquiry on the future of local newspapers because we want to look at the whole architecture in...

The BBC has entered into relationships with the local press in some areas, and the dissemination of information in that way has been fairly constructive. The NUJ is calling for a short, sharp inquiry on the future of local newspapers because we want to look at the whole architecture in...

I apologise to you, Sir Hugh, and to the two Front-Bench spokesmen; as I have said, I will have to leave before the winding-up speeches due to a prior engagement. I thank the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell) for the detailed way in which he presented the...

I apologise to you, Sir Hugh, and to the two Front-Bench spokesmen; as I have said, I will have to leave before the winding-up speeches due to a prior engagement. I thank the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell) for the detailed way in which he presented the...

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak, Sir Hugh. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell)on his excellent and eloquent speech, which has covered many of the points that many of us will want to make today.

I am particularly blessed in south-west Wales...

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak, Sir Hugh. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell)on his excellent and eloquent speech, which has covered many of the points that many of us will want to make today.

I am particularly blessed in south-west Wales...