Today at DCMS questions, I challenged the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, Jeremy Hunt MP, on his Government's plans to strip Ofcom of its duty to promote equality in broadcasting.  The Secretary of State refused to drop the proposals.  I asked:

“I’m sure he'll agree that it’s a sorry state of affairs when the BBC sports personality of the year shortlist failed to identify even one woman, while their woman of the year shortlist somehow managed to include a panda.

“But we all know that what’s on the screen is a product of what goes on behind the camera.

“There has been progress - there are now many fantastic women in the industry  - but they still face unequal odds.

“When even the BBC, today, acknowledge that there should be more women throughout the industry - why is he proposing to strip Ofcom of their duty to promote gender equality -  will he drop that proposal?”