BBC’s George Entwistle to answer House of Commons questions on Savile abuse
As the number of suspected victims of Jimmy Savile abuse reached 60, i has been revealed BBC director general George Entwistle will appear in front of MPs at the House of Commons to answer questions on the decision by the editor of Newsnight to drop an investigation into the late BBC presenter.
Entwistle offered appear infront of the culture, media and sport select committee next week, 23 October, instead of later in the year as the BBC prepares to launch its enquiries into the Savile investigation.
The announcement came as culture secretary Maria Miller’s defended comments made in a debate which appeared to prejudge one of the BBC’s announced enquiries.
She said "The BBC has launched three separate investigations, as the House will be aware. The first will look particularly at the allegations with regard to the item on Savile which was inappropriately pulled from Newsnight.”
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport later clarified remarks Miller made in the statement about the Newsnight investigation into Savile being "inappropriately pulled", saying she was not reflecting her own belief as to what happened regarding the film and not those of the House of Commons.