Examination of Witnesses (Questions 440-446)
MR GREG
DYKE
8 MAY 2007
Q440 Mr Hall: On 29 May 2003 the
Gilligan report on the radio said that the dossier published in
September 2002 was sexed up by 10 Downing Street—wrong.
Do not take my word for it; take Hutton's word for it; take the
Security and Intelligence Select Committee; the Foreign Affairs
Select Committee; and the Butler Report. All of them concluded—
Mr Dyke: If I knew we were discussing
this today I would have brought the Butler report because there
is nothing I would like to read you more than what the Butler
report actually said, because it confirmed everything that Gilligan
said.
Q441 Mr Hall: No, it did not.
Mr Dyke: You good old Labour loyalists
sit there banging the thing. Go and read Butler.
Q442 Mr Hall: You can attack me personally
if you like but that does not actually deal with the issue. The
Hutton Report was quite clear—-
Mr Dyke: You asked me to come
and discuss public service broadcasting and you want to go through
the Hutton report.
Q443 Mr Hall: I was not actually
going to come in, Mr Dyke. I was not going to cross-examine you
but you were the one who mentioned Iraq.
Mr Dyke: If you would like me
to send you the parts of the Butler Report that make it very clear
the Government sexed up the dossier I am quite prepared to do
that.
Q444 Chairman: I think we are going
to have to accept we are not going to agree on this point. If
the two of you want to continue this another time.
Mr Dyke: I will send you the marked-up
parts of the Butler Report.
Mr Hall: The same with the Hutton Report;
the Security Intelligence Select Committee; and the Foreign Affairs
Select Committee; that would be very helpful.
Q445 Chairman: Just before we move
to the next session, and as an introduction to it, we have talked
about public service media content plurality, and you mentioned
news provision particularly. What is your view of the Sky stake
in ITV?
Mr Dyke: I do not think in terms
of plurality it will make any difference at all. It was pretty
clear why Sky bought the stake in ITV. They bought the stake in
ITV to prevent any possibility of it being bought by Virgin Media;
that is why it was done. Personally I cannot see it makes any
difference to plurality. If Sky sit on the board of ITN clearly
it will make a difference. If Sky sit on the board of ITV it could
make a difference. If they are not going to do any of those things
it is a financial investment. I am not sure that it makes any
difference to plurality. Whether it is wise, whether it is a good
thing for British television, is another discussion. I am not
sure it makes a thing about plurality of news.
Q446 Chairman: But in terms of the
effect on competition?
Mr Dyke: I would have thought
if ITV now decided to change its news provider and move to Sky
that would be quite a serious discussion; but of course they have
just signed up with ITN I think for another five if not 10 years.
That is not to say that that alone is a threat to plurality of
news supply.
Chairman: If we do not have any more
questions, could I thank you very much.
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