Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Court Cases: Media Comment

Thursday 1 July 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Lee Anderson asked the Minister about steps taken to ensure that court cases are not prejudiced by inappropriate media reporting and public comment.
  • The Minister responded that media advisory notices are issued to inform the media about responsible coverage and a campaign called #thinkbeforeyoupost promotes awareness of the risks of posting ill-judged content on social media.
  • Kenny MacAskill questioned whether bloggers should be held to the same standards and afforded the same protections as mainstream media, to which the Minister stated that everyone is equal under the law and bloggers are accountable for their posts.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Lee Anderson Reform Ashfield
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

The question addresses the concern of media and public comments prejudicing ongoing legal proceedings.

Question

What steps has he taken to ensure that court cases are not prejudiced by inappropriate (a) reporting by the media and (b) comment by the public?

Answer from Michael Ellis

In order to avoid prejudice to criminal proceedings, I may issue a media advisory notice to inform and ensure responsible media coverage. A campaign called #thinkbeforeyoupost has been launched to promote awareness of the risks of ill-judged social media posts.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not provide details on specific measures or policies against public comments prejudicing court cases.

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Q2 Kenny MacAskill
Context

A High Court judge suggested treating offences by a blogger differently from those of the mainstream media in a recent Scottish case.

Question

Given that most serious breaches have been carried out by the mainstream media, and considering their evolutionary history, does he agree that while bloggers should be held accountable, they are also entitled to the protections afforded to the rest of the mainstream media?

Answer from Michael Ellis

Everyone is equal under the law. The media, generally responsible and aware of reporting restrictions, face limitations on reporting active proceedings. Media advisory notices are issued where necessary. Bloggers, despite lack of training, are also accountable for their posts which can amount to a contempt of court and lead to imprisonment.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not directly address whether bloggers should be entitled to the same protections as mainstream media.

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