Stephen Nolan "corrupted" an interview process by providing questions to a candidate for a senior position on his radio show, the House of Commons heard.
Former BBC NI director Peter Johnston, head of editorial complaints and appointed to lead the investigation into the activities of Russell Brand, was informed of the "corruption of process" in 2018, MP Gregory Campbell told the Commons, sitting in Westminster Hall. "This is appalling," Mr Campbell said, claiming the process was rigged with as many as 10 other candidates for the “highly prized” position losing out. "The process was rigged, wasn't fair and it lacked integrity," he said. Mr Nolan "did not ring them up and give them the questions" and they were "not treated to a nice meal", Mr Campbell said under parliamentary privilege. An individual at the centre of the process is prepared to give evidence before a Westminster committee, the DUP MP added. The individual, he said, is not aware of any action taken after Mr Johnston was told of the "corruption" of the interview process in 2018.
Mr Campbell described the information received as "alarming and disturbing."
The BBC yesterday said it was “committed to filling vacancies in line with employment law and best practice”.
It said Mr Nolan does not sit on interview panels, adding that “we will, of course, consider carefully any evidence Mr Campbell might want to share with us and take seriously the need to protect the fairness and integrity of our recruitment processes.”
The East Derry MP was speaking on a motion on the commissioning process within the BBC, focusing in part on the relationship between Broadcasting House in Belfast and Mr Nolan's Third Street Studios production company.
Read more: Shares in Stephen Nolan's company transferred to entity controlled by leading bookmaker
While the salaries of the highest paid BBC "talent" have been made public since 2017, it is suggested there is an issue of an overlap with private companies commissioned to make programmes for the broadcaster, either fully or partly controlled by employees.
Mr Campbell cited Third Street Studios, of which Mr Nolan is sole director. The company has received commissions worth millions of pounds, the DUP representative said.
It was owned entirely by the BBC presenter until last year when the shares were transferred to an entity entirely controlled by the bookmaker Paul McLean.
Mr Campbell said the Director General Tim Davie has made clear he wants to see outside interests made public. The MP wants information on companies led by employees that receive numerous commissions to be disclosed.
"The independent sector finds it difficult to compete" with a "highly paid BBC employee". The employee also is able to advertise his private company's own programmes on his shows, putting him in a better position to receive further contracts, the MP added.
Mr Campbell noted he has spoken to senior BBC management, the National Audit Office and OFCOM in connection with his concerns in relation to transparency around commissions and contracts.
Any attempts to further investigate have "ground to a halt" or moved "excessively slowly", with Mr Campbell concluding the BBC "feel they can grind the process down" so that eventually it will go away.
While the MP said he understood there may be issues around commercial sensitivity, some of the programmes under discussion were made some years ago and there should be no reason details cannot be made available, adding that "secrecy leads to suspicion".
In relation to the transfer of Third Street shares to an entity controlled by a bookmaker, Mr Campbell raised the question of making programmes on "addictive gambling" and cited the example of Premier League clubs having their shirts sponsored by "huge gambling interests". He asked how these issues could be addressed by a company where a leading bookmaker has a controlling interest.
John Whittingdale, Minister of State for Media and Data, said Mr Campbell has "raised important issues" and that the UK Government has "considerable sympathy" for his position.
Mr Whittingdale noted a number of employees do have private production companies, leading to a situation where some BBC staff have their income published while others are getting paid by a "different route". This was "not entirely satisfactory", he said, adding he hoped the BBC know increased transparency is the "right way forward".
In response, to East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson's suggestion there may be some within the BBC who are "too popular to be criticised, too successful.... too important in the ratings game." Mr Whittingdale said those in senior positions "should not be exempt from scrutiny".
He said the issues raised by Mr Campbell cannot be properly investigated by the government but by independent bodies. The MP mentioned the recently appointed Northern Ireland representative on the BBC board, Michael Smyth, and internal BBC complaints procedures.
Mr Whittingdale added there were independent members who sat on the BBC's editorial standards committee. He also suggested the National Audit Office could investigate.
On the criticism of recruitment, a BBC spokesman said: “The BBC is committed to filling vacancies in line with employment law and best practice. Mr Campbell’s allegation appears to refer to a BBC recruitment process in 2016. Stephen Nolan does not sit on interview panels for BBC staff jobs, including for this role, and decisions are made solely by the panel members. We will, of course, consider carefully any evidence Mr Campbell might want to share with us and take seriously the need to protect the fairness and integrity of our recruitment processes.”
On commissioning, the spokesman added: “We commission BBC programmes on an equitable basis and with a laser focus on audience benefit. All of them are subject to the same strict financial, audit and management controls. The specifics of individual programme and talent contracts and negotiations are commercially confidential. We take pride in the role that the BBC plays in supporting the local independent production sector, its developing network presence and the difference that our investment makes to the wider creative economy in Northern Ireland.”
Meanwhile, SDLP MP Claire Hanna said her party "has raised a range of concerns about commissioning, editorial and governance at BBC Northern Ireland".
"So far the failure of the BBC to engage in any serious way with concerns from a wide range of sources is concerning," the South Belfast MP said, adding: "The SDLP will continue to pursue these issues, including at Westminster."