The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP
Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport
Department for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport
2-4 Cockspur Street
London
SW1Y 5DH

July 7th 2011

Dear Jeremy,

As you know from questions I have asked previously in the House of Commons, I have always been concerned about the proposed merger between BSkyB and News International, on the grounds that any increase in News International's share of BSkyB is a threat to media diversity and plurality, giving the company unprecedented market power.I hope you will agree with me that there are now additional concerns, which make it imperative that the case is looked at again.
I understand Ofcom have a duty to ensure that any media licence holder in this country is ‘fit and proper'. This week's further revelations about the extent to which News of the World journalists have been hacking into mobile phones clearly indicate that serious questions need to be asked about any media with News International involvement. Please assure me that you will ask Ofcom to consider whether it is fit and proper for News International to gain even greater control and influence over our media - and that you will immediately put the brakes on the BSkyB/News International deal, at least until any inquiries or police investigations are complete.
I am pleased that the Prime Minister has agreed to an inquiry but I think he needs to release details as soon as possible and define its powers and scope. I will be contacting him about this and hope you will also back calls for any inquiry to include:
• The extent of the use of illegal information-gathering methods by the press, directly and through intermediaries;
• The conduct of the Metropolitan Police Service in investigating these matters, and its relations with the press;
• The communication between press and politicians in relation to these matters;
• The conduct of the Press Complaints Commission and of the Information Commissioner, and of other relevant parties such as mobile telephone companies;
• The lessons to be learned from these events and actions to be taken to ensure they are not repeated.

The closure of the News of the World is not the end of this problem and please do all you can to ensure that the kind of disgraceful journalism practiced there, and perhaps elsewhere, is tackled head on.

Yours sincerely,

Caroline Lucas, MP, Brighton Pavilion

Read the Department's reply