WIREDGOV

The Welsh Government has welcomed a ruling by the Market Research Society that a question asked on behalf of BBC Wales by polling company ICM breached its Code of Conduct on two separate counts.

The complaint by the Welsh Government to the MRS asserted that an opinion poll question relating to funding arrangements for cancer drugs in Wales and England was unfair to the extent that it led respondents towards a particular point of view.

Following an investigation, the MRS has upheld the complaint, and found ICM in breach of rule 33(d) of its Code of Conduct relating to leading questions.

It also found ICM breached rule 33(a) of its Code due to the lack of a clear audit trail for the way the wording of the question was arrived at in discussion with BBC Wales.

The MRS found that the breaches were “not minor, isolated or trivial” and has informed ICM of its findings.

A spokesperson for the Welsh Government said:

“We are pleased that this complaint has been upheld by the MRS. It is disappointing that ICM and BBC Wales dealt with a public policy issue of such sensitivity in the way this investigation finding has revealed.

“Strong representations were made to them about the gross oversimplification of the wording before the findings were published, but they chose to press ahead regardless.

“We look forward to the steps both organisations will now take to reflect the MRS findings in their published material relating to this question.”