Lords asks Government to suspend consideration of News Corporation’s BSkyB takeover bid
8 July 2011
The Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon asked the Government whether it would suspend consideration of News Corporation’s bid to take over BSkyB in a Private Notice Question yesterday (Thursday 7 July).
The wording of Baroness Royall’s question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government in the light of the loss of public and commercial confidence in News International and the imminent closure of the consultation period, whether they will suspend consideration of News Corporation’s bid to take over BSkyB.
Baroness Rawlings answered for the Government.
In her follow-up question Baroness Royall asked if time would be set aside next week for the House to debate the matter.
Lord Prescott and Lord Puttnam made interventions. Baroness Scotland of Asthal, Lord Dholakia, Baroness O'Neill of Bengarve and Lord Phillips of Sudbury also asked questions.
Further information
A Private Notice Question (PNQ) is a question requiring an urgent response from the government on matters of public importance and that arrangement of business prevents scheduling on the order paper.
Members of the Lords apply to the Lord Speaker to ask a PNQ.
The relevant government department is informed and the PNQ follows at the end of Oral Questions.