Ministers from Scotland and Wales have expressed deep concerns over the lack of transparency to select the next Chair of Ofcom.
They say the selected candidate should be “someone who can work impartially and independently in the interests of all the nations.”
Believing it could have a detrimental impact on public service broadcasting in the UK, they have written to the UK Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Nadine Dorries, asking to be included in the process for selection.
It says both the Scottish and Welsh governments are “extremely concerned about the perceived lack of impartiality and transparency of the current appointment processes at Ofcom.”
It has been signed by the Scottish Government’s Culture Secretary Angus Robertson and Finance and Economy Secretary Kate Forbes and the Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Arts Dawn Bowden and Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters.
“Given the importance of public service broadcasting to our nations and the real impact for our nations of any decision on selecting the Ofcom Chair which is not transparent or impartial, we urge you to involve us fully in the process as is right to protect a system which is so important to the public in Scotland and Wales and all the UK," the later states.
The ministers said they wrote to Ms Dorries predecessor Oliver Dowden, but did not receive a reply, stressing that delays and an apparent lack of transparency have caused them to "lose further confidence in the process".
"Involving the devolved governments would return credibility to an appointment process that has been tarnished by delays and questions about the real independence of those involved.
"We regret that UK processes including public appointments being run by your department are failing to show due respect for the role and rights of the devolved governments."
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