The culture secretary met James Murdoch on 28 June
shortly after News Corp made its takeover bid to buy
the remaining 61 per cent of BSkyB.
No civil servants were present.
A spokesman for the Department for Culture, Media
and Sport said: "I can confirm that this was an
informal first meeting between Jeremy Hunt as
secretary of state and James Murdoch, and there was
no written agenda or briefing. Officials did not sit
in on the meeting."
A second meeting took place between Mr Hunt and
Jeremy Darroch, BSkyB's chief executive, on July 21
where no minutes were taken.
An unnamed civil servant had warned Mr Hunt that Mr
Darroch was likely to ask about changes to media
regulation, in documents disclosed under the Freedom
of Information Act.
Labour MP Tom Watson said: "It seems unprecedented
that such a high level and legally significant
meeting would not have civil servants present taking
notes. I will be asking the chairman of the culture,
media and sport select committee to ask Jeremy Hunt
to explain himself to us as soon as possible".
Mr Hunt also attended a dinner hosted by News
Corp on May 20, within weeks of coming into office,
with his aide Adam Smith.
Labour has questioned whether Mr Hunt's
relationship with News Corp and BSkyB made him a
"fit and proper person" to take over Vince Cable's
powers to approve the £8billion bid which was made
on June 10.
Mr Hunt will now have to arbitrate on the bid by
Mr Murdoch's News Corp to take a majority stake in
the broadcaster, BSkyB.
He has said in the past that he does not object
to the takeover.
John Denham, shadow business secretary, wrote to
Sir Gus O'Donnell seeking "reassurances" in light of
the comments. The Cabinet Secretary said he was
satisfied Mr Hunt had not pre-judged the BSkyB
takeover.
A new communications act later this parliament
could see changes made to rules over media
ownership, designed to prevent local monopolies.
Mr Hunt is due to receive a report by Ofcom on
whether News Corp's proposed takeover of BSkyB
threatens "media plurality" by 31 December.
