§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to whom copies of the Communications White Paper were supplied before 15.30 on 12 December other than the Vote Office of the House of Commons. [143403]
§ Janet Anderson[holding an rover 20 December 2000]: In accordance with paragraph 92 of the Ministerial Code copies of the Communications White Paper were made available outside Government before 15.30 on 12 December, but embargoed until that time, as follows.
A number of journalists were invited to read the White Paper on 12 December in a Government conference room, which was locked until the Secretary of State made his Statement to the House.
I understand that one copy was also made available to each of those who had been most closely involved in the development of the White Paper: the Office of Telecommunications; the Office of Fair Trading; the Independent Television Commission; the Radio Authority; the Broadcasting Standards Commission; the Governors of the BBC; the National Consumer Council; and the group of eight expert advisers.
Copies were also made available to: the spokesmen of the main political parties in both Houses; the First Minister of Scotland; the First Minister of the National Assembly for Wales; the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of the Northern Ireland Assembly; the Chairmen of the Culture, Media and Sport and Trade and Industry Select Committees; and through the usual channels.