{"id":638,"date":"2020-09-24T23:33:04","date_gmt":"2020-09-24T23:33:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test.johnwhittingdale.co.uk\/?p=638"},"modified":"2021-08-16T16:46:00","modified_gmt":"2021-08-16T16:46:00","slug":"bbc-regional-coverage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.johnwhittingdale.org.uk\/?p=638","title":{"rendered":"BBC regional coverage"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"g1117.4\" class=\"debate-speech\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 40px 0px; direction: ltr; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: #e4e2dc; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;\">\n<div class=\"full-page__row\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; max-width: 63.33333em; width: auto; position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"full-page__unit\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 17.09375px; direction: ltr; width: 1140px; float: left;\">\n<div class=\"debate-speech__speaker-and-content\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; width: 663.484375px; float: left;\">\n<h2 class=\"debate-speech__speaker\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px 0px 0px 70px; direction: ltr; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; color: #222222; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; line-height: 1em; font-size: 1.4em; position: relative;\"><a style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #4faded; line-height: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/mp\/?p=24715\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; border: none; max-width: 50px; height: auto; display: inline-block; vertical-align: middle; float: left; margin-right: 10px; position: absolute; left: 0px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/images\/mps\/24715.jpeg\" alt=\"Photo of Grahame Morris\"><span class=\"debate-speech__speaker__name\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;\">Grahame Morris<\/span>&nbsp;<small class=\"debate-speech__speaker__position\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; line-height: 1em; color: #9d9195; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; max-width: 36em;\">Labour, Easington<\/small><\/a><\/h2>\n<div class=\"debate-speech__content\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.66em 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 70px; direction: ltr; font-size: 1em;\">\n<p style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.6em; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;\">What recent discussions he has had with&nbsp;<a class=\"glossary\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #4faded; line-height: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto;\" title=\"Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK...\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/glossary\/?gl=217\">Ofcom<\/a>&nbsp;on the BBC&#8217;s compliance with its statutory duties on local and regional news and political coverage for the English regions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<ul class=\"debate-speech__meta debate-speech__links\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.6; list-style-position: outside; font-family: inherit; float: right; width: 331.734375px; text-align: right;\">\n<li class=\"link-to-speech\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; display: block;\"><span class=\"link-to-speech__label\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; color: #b5acaf;\">Link to this speech<\/span><a class=\"link debate-speech__meta__link\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #9d9195; line-height: 18px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto; font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/debates\/?id=2020-09-24b.1117.3#g1117.4\">In context<\/a>&nbsp;<a class=\"link debate-speech__meta__link\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #9d9195; line-height: 18px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 0.5em;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/debates\/?id=2020-09-24b.1117.4\">Individually<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"link-to-speech\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; display: block;\"><a class=\"twitter debate-speech__meta__link js-twitter-share\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #9d9195; line-height: 18px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto; font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theyworkforyou.com%2Fdebates%2F%3Fid%3D2020-09-24b.1117.4&amp;text=Grahame+Morris+on+Digital%2C+Culture%2C+Media+and+Sport%2C+at+TheyWorkForYou&amp;amp;related=theyworkforyou%2Cmysociety\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tweet<\/a>&nbsp;<a class=\"facebook debate-speech__meta__link js-facebook-share\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #9d9195; line-height: 18px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 0.5em;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=734726803296567&amp;display=popup&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theyworkforyou.com%2Fdebates%2F%3Fid%3D2020-09-24b.1117.4&amp;quote=Grahame+Morris+on+Digital%2C+Culture%2C+Media+and+Sport%2C+at+TheyWorkForYou\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/debates\/?id=2020-09-24b.1117.4\" data-text=\"Grahame Morris on Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, at TheyWorkForYou\">Share<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"link-to-hansard\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; font-size: 14px; color: #b5acaf; display: block;\"><span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; display: block;\">(Citation: HC Deb, 24 September 2020, c1117)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"g1117.5\" class=\"debate-speech\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 40px 0px; direction: ltr; background-color: transparent; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: #e4e2dc; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;\">\n<div class=\"full-page__row\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; max-width: 63.33333em; width: auto; position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"full-page__unit\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 17.09375px; direction: ltr; width: 1140px; float: left;\"><a style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #4faded; line-height: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto;\" name=\"g1117.5\"><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"debate-speech__speaker-and-content\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; width: 663.484375px; float: left;\">\n<h2 class=\"debate-speech__speaker\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px 0px 0px 70px; direction: ltr; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; color: #222222; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; line-height: 1em; font-size: 1.4em; position: relative;\"><a style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #4faded; line-height: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/mp\/?p=10632\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; border: none; max-width: 50px; height: auto; display: inline-block; vertical-align: middle; float: left; margin-right: 10px; position: absolute; left: 0px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/images\/mps\/10632.jpeg\" alt=\"Photo of John Whittingdale\"><span class=\"debate-speech__speaker__name\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;\">John Whittingdale<\/span>&nbsp;<small class=\"debate-speech__speaker__position\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; line-height: 1em; color: #9d9195; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; max-width: 36em;\">Minister of State<\/small><\/a><\/h2>\n<div class=\"debate-speech__content\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.66em 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 70px; direction: ltr; font-size: 1em;\">\n<p style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.6em; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;\"><a style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #4faded; line-height: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_BBC\" rel=\"nofollow\">The BBC<\/a>&nbsp;charter requires the BBC to serve audiences across all the&nbsp;<a style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #4faded; line-height: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/UK\" rel=\"nofollow\">UK<\/a>&nbsp;nations and regions. How it does so is a matter for the BBC, but I share the concern about the recently announced cuts, and I welcome&nbsp;<a class=\"glossary\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #4faded; line-height: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto;\" title=\"Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK...\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/glossary\/?gl=217\">Ofcom<\/a>\u2019s intention to examine this.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<ul class=\"debate-speech__meta debate-speech__links\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.6; list-style-position: outside; font-family: inherit; float: right; width: 331.734375px; text-align: right;\">\n<li class=\"link-to-speech\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; display: block;\"><span class=\"link-to-speech__label\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; color: #b5acaf;\">Link to this speech<\/span><a class=\"link debate-speech__meta__link\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #9d9195; line-height: 18px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto; font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/debates\/?id=2020-09-24b.1117.3#g1117.5\">In context<\/a>&nbsp;<a class=\"link debate-speech__meta__link\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #9d9195; line-height: 18px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 0.5em;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/debates\/?id=2020-09-24b.1117.5\">Individually<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"link-to-speech\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; display: block;\"><a class=\"twitter debate-speech__meta__link js-twitter-share\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #9d9195; line-height: 18px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto; font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theyworkforyou.com%2Fdebates%2F%3Fid%3D2020-09-24b.1117.5&amp;text=John+Whittingdale+on+Digital%2C+Culture%2C+Media+and+Sport%2C+at+TheyWorkForYou&amp;amp;related=theyworkforyou%2Cmysociety\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tweet<\/a>&nbsp;<a class=\"facebook debate-speech__meta__link js-facebook-share\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #9d9195; line-height: 18px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 0.5em;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=734726803296567&amp;display=popup&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theyworkforyou.com%2Fdebates%2F%3Fid%3D2020-09-24b.1117.5&amp;quote=John+Whittingdale+on+Digital%2C+Culture%2C+Media+and+Sport%2C+at+TheyWorkForYou\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/debates\/?id=2020-09-24b.1117.5\" data-text=\"John Whittingdale on Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, at TheyWorkForYou\">Share<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"link-to-hansard\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; font-size: 14px; color: #b5acaf; display: block;\"><span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; display: block;\">(Citation: HC Deb, 24 September 2020, c1117)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"g1117.6\" class=\"debate-speech\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 40px 0px; direction: ltr; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: #e4e2dc; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;\">\n<div class=\"full-page__row\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; max-width: 63.33333em; width: auto; position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"full-page__unit\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 17.09375px; direction: ltr; width: 1140px; float: left;\"><a style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #4faded; line-height: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto;\" name=\"g1117.6\"><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"debate-speech__speaker-and-content\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; width: 663.484375px; float: left;\">\n<h2 class=\"debate-speech__speaker\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px 0px 0px 70px; direction: ltr; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; color: #222222; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; line-height: 1em; font-size: 1.4em; position: relative;\"><a style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #4faded; line-height: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/mp\/?p=24715\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; border: none; max-width: 50px; height: auto; display: inline-block; vertical-align: middle; float: left; margin-right: 10px; position: absolute; left: 0px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/images\/mps\/24715.jpeg\" alt=\"Photo of Grahame Morris\"><span class=\"debate-speech__speaker__name\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;\">Grahame Morris<\/span>&nbsp;<small class=\"debate-speech__speaker__position\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; line-height: 1em; color: #9d9195; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; max-width: 36em;\">Labour, Easington<\/small><\/a><\/h2>\n<div class=\"debate-speech__content\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.66em 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 70px; direction: ltr; font-size: 1em;\">\n<p style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.6em; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;\">I thank the&nbsp;<a class=\"glossary\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #4faded; line-height: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto;\" title=\"Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of...\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/glossary\/?gl=35\">Minister<\/a>&nbsp;for that response, and I assume that he agrees that local and regional news coverage and political coverage are a vital aspect of the BBC\u2019s public sector obligation. My concern\u2014this has been raised by the&nbsp;<a style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #4faded; line-height: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/National_Union_of_Journalists\" rel=\"nofollow\">National Union of Journalists<\/a>\u2014is that the number of staff who currently work on the award-winning investigative programme \u201c<a style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #4faded; line-height: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Inside_Out\" rel=\"nofollow\">Inside Out<\/a>\u201d will be put at risk of redundancy if the BBC reduces the number of regional production centres from 11 to six. I am pleased by what the Minister said, but is he asking&nbsp;<a class=\"glossary\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #4faded; line-height: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto;\" title=\"Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK...\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/glossary\/?gl=217\">Ofcom<\/a>&nbsp;to investigate the BBC\u2019s compliance with the public sector broadcaster obligation?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<ul class=\"debate-speech__meta debate-speech__links\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.6; list-style-position: outside; font-family: inherit; float: right; width: 331.734375px; text-align: right;\">\n<li class=\"link-to-speech\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; display: block;\"><span class=\"link-to-speech__label\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; color: #b5acaf;\">Link to this speech<\/span><a class=\"link debate-speech__meta__link\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #9d9195; line-height: 18px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto; font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/debates\/?id=2020-09-24b.1117.3#g1117.6\">In context<\/a>&nbsp;<a class=\"link debate-speech__meta__link\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #9d9195; line-height: 18px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 0.5em;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/debates\/?id=2020-09-24b.1117.6\">Individually<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"link-to-speech\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; display: block;\"><a class=\"twitter debate-speech__meta__link js-twitter-share\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #9d9195; line-height: 18px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto; font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theyworkforyou.com%2Fdebates%2F%3Fid%3D2020-09-24b.1117.6&amp;text=Grahame+Morris+on+Digital%2C+Culture%2C+Media+and+Sport%2C+at+TheyWorkForYou&amp;amp;related=theyworkforyou%2Cmysociety\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tweet<\/a>&nbsp;<a class=\"facebook debate-speech__meta__link js-facebook-share\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #9d9195; line-height: 18px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 0.5em;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=734726803296567&amp;display=popup&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theyworkforyou.com%2Fdebates%2F%3Fid%3D2020-09-24b.1117.6&amp;quote=Grahame+Morris+on+Digital%2C+Culture%2C+Media+and+Sport%2C+at+TheyWorkForYou\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/debates\/?id=2020-09-24b.1117.6\" data-text=\"Grahame Morris on Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, at TheyWorkForYou\">Share<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"link-to-hansard\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; font-size: 14px; color: #b5acaf; display: block;\"><span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; display: block;\">(Citation: HC Deb, 24 September 2020, c1117)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"g1117.7\" class=\"debate-speech\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 40px 0px; direction: ltr; background-color: transparent; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: #e4e2dc; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;\">\n<div class=\"full-page__row\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; max-width: 63.33333em; width: auto; position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"full-page__unit\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 17.09375px; direction: ltr; width: 1140px; float: left;\"><a style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #4faded; line-height: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto;\" name=\"g1117.7\"><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"debate-speech__speaker-and-content\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; width: 663.484375px; float: left;\">\n<h2 class=\"debate-speech__speaker\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px 0px 0px 70px; direction: ltr; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; color: #222222; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; line-height: 1em; font-size: 1.4em; position: relative;\"><a style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #4faded; line-height: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/mp\/?p=10632\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; border: none; max-width: 50px; height: auto; display: inline-block; vertical-align: middle; float: left; margin-right: 10px; position: absolute; left: 0px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/images\/mps\/10632.jpeg\" alt=\"Photo of John Whittingdale\"><span class=\"debate-speech__speaker__name\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;\">John Whittingdale<\/span>&nbsp;<small class=\"debate-speech__speaker__position\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; line-height: 1em; color: #9d9195; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; max-width: 36em;\">Minister of State<\/small><\/a><\/h2>\n<div class=\"debate-speech__content\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.66em 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 70px; direction: ltr; font-size: 1em;\">\n<p style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.6em; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;\">I completely agree with the hon. Gentleman that local and regional news coverage by the BBC is one of the core public purposes of the BBC. I have spoken to the new director-general, and I am pleased that he remains absolutely committed to that. Whether the recent cuts reduce the ability of the BBC to carry out that obligation is a matter that&nbsp;<a class=\"glossary\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #4faded; line-height: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-hyphens: auto;\" title=\"Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK...\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theyworkforyou.com\/glossary\/?gl=217\">Ofcom<\/a>&nbsp;is looking at, and it decided to do that without our having even spoken to it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Grahame Morris&nbsp;Labour, Easington What recent discussions he has had with&nbsp;Ofcom&nbsp;on the BBC&#8217;s compliance with its statutory duties on local and regional news and political coverage for the English regions.&nbsp; Link to this speechIn context&nbsp;Individually Tweet&nbsp;Share (Citation: HC Deb, 24 September 2020, c1117) John Whittingdale&nbsp;Minister of State The BBC&nbsp;charter requires the BBC to serve audiences across [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1533,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-speeches"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.johnwhittingdale.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/638","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.johnwhittingdale.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.johnwhittingdale.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnwhittingdale.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnwhittingdale.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=638"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnwhittingdale.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/638\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1719,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnwhittingdale.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/638\/revisions\/1719"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnwhittingdale.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.johnwhittingdale.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnwhittingdale.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnwhittingdale.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}