Facts

Nadine Dorries, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, made this remark at a Select Committee hearing. This is not true. Channel 4 funds itself with commercial operations. 

The Treasury classifies Channel 4 as a “self-financing public corporation”. In order to meet this definition, a public corporation “must trade profitably and not require subsidies or other financial support from its parent department”. 

Channel 4 is a publicly owned “public corporation”, which funds itself through commercial activities such as advertising. 

For a fuller analysis, see FullFact.

Verdict

Nadine Dorries’ claim about Channel 4 was wrong. Her misleading remark remains on the Commons record in defiance of the ministerial code.

We approached Ms Dorries’ office and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport for comment, but no reply.