SF minister urged to publish BBC correspondence - as department dodges questions on road safety coverage
Stormont’s roads minister has been urged to provide clarity on the circumstances around a major policy announcement which coincided with special BBC coverage on road safety.
Liz Kimmins’s infrastructure department has avoided questions from the News Letter about whether it was co-ordinated with the broadcaster’s special programming on Tuesday – but UUP MLA Steve Aiken has placed a request for documentation to be placed in the public domain.
Assembly speaker Edwin Poots this week accused the Sinn Fein minister of a “significant breach of the normal conventions” by announcing her plans for a graduated driver licensing scheme to the media before MLAs.
The announcement coincided with a special day of programming on road safety – across various BBC outlets – but the department has not answered questions about any discussions it had with the broadcaster.
The BBC had reported that the Sinn Fein minister’s plans “come as part of a day of coverage” on the impact of road deaths. When asked if it had co-ordinated coverage with department, a spokesperson said the department was aware of its plans, and it reported the minister’s announcement “on the basis of its news value and significance”.
Mr Aiken has now requested information through an Assembly question to Ms Kimmins. He has requested that “in the interests of good governance and openness and accountability” she should “place in the NI Assembly Library all of her department’s correspondence… between the BBC and her department pertaining to her appearance” on the corporation’s programming.
BBC sources have concerns about the optics of the coverage, with the minister’s policy to place restrictions on new and young drivers leading its long-planned road safety special.
The BBC said road safety “is an issue of significant public interest” – and that its coverage was “developed over several months with input from victims, first responders and relevant agencies. The Department, like others, was aware of our plans. Its announcement has been reported by us on the basis of its news value and significance.”