§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the accuracy of(a) off the record and (b) official (i) briefings and (ii) answers to inquiries given by his office in respect of Mr. Rupert Murdoch's inquiries to his office relating to media investment in Italy. [37292]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 1 April 1998]: Briefings to the press on this subject have been conducted on the record, by my official spokesman, and on the record in response to telephone inquiries. They have been accurate.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Prime Minister when he was first notified that Mr. Rupert Murdoch wished to discuss the reaction of the Italian Government to News Corporation investment in Italian media; and what transcripts and recordings of articles and broadcasts relating to this subject have been circulated to his staff. [37291]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 1 April 1998]: It is not my practice to detail confidential discussions with any businessmen about their company, nor to discuss internal government correspondence.