Allister challenges Joint First Ministers on OFCOM condemnation
25 May 2011
TUV leader Jim Allister has tabled a number of searching questions to the Joint First Ministers following the recent Ofcom report which found that OFMDFM had indulged in political advertising in the promotion of the Hillsborough Agreement.
The North Antrim MLA has tabled the following written questions:
To ask the Office of the First and deputy First Minister how much was spent on making and placing the radio advertisement, on or about 16th and 17th February 2010, which OFCOM recently ruled was not of a public service nature but political advertising, and how will the public purse be recompensed for such inappropriate expenditure.
To ask the Office of the First and deputy First Minister what lessons have been learned from the recent finding by OFCOM that OFMDFM’s radio advertising after the Hillsborough Agreement was not of a public service nature but political advertising, and what steps have been put in place to ensure OFMDFM does not fall into such error again.
Commenting Mr Allister said:
“In light of the fact that Ofcom found that the content of this advert was such that it amounted to ‘political advertising’ and sought to promote the political interests of the Joint First Ministers it is only right and proper that the public purse be reimbursed from the pockets of Mr Robinson and McGuinness or their respective parties.”
