Moira Stuart's return to BBC cleared

The BBC says there is no conflict of interest between Moira Stuart's new job as Chris Evans's newsreader and her role as the face of HM Revenue and Customs' tax return campaign. The BBC's editorial guidelines, intended to protect the impartiality and objectivity of the BBC, include "considerable restrictions on what, if any, promotional activities" its presenters may undertake. The guidelines specifically bar news presenters and reporters from taking part in "any promotions, endorsements, or advertisements for third parties". Stuart, who was today confirmed as Evans's newsreader on his Radio 2 breakfast show, has been the face of HM Revenue and Customs' tax return campaign since October 2008. She replaced historian Adam Hart-Davis in the ads, which remind people of the deadline dates for their tax return, with the catchphrase "Tax doesn't have to be taxing." A Radio 2 spokeswoman denied suggestions of a conflict of interest. "It is acceptable as Moira is stating purely public information rather than advertising a product or service," she said. "Moira is a newsreader rather than a news presenter or reporter. The news reports will be produced by the news department." The tax return campaign is expected to run for another two or three weeks after Evans's new show begins next Monday. The BBC's editorial guidelines say the corporation's "reputation for impartiality and objectivity is crucial". "The BBC's reputation for impartiality and objectivity is crucial. The public must be able to trust the integrity of BBC programmes and services. Our audiences need to be confident that the outside activities of our programme makers or presenters do not undermine the BBC's impartiality and that editorial decisions are not influenced by any commercial or personal interests," say the guidelines. "News and current affairs programmes may deal with any issue, cause, organisation or individual. People who work on these programmes should have no outside interests or commitments which could damage the BBC's reputation for impartiality, fairness and integrity. "Increasingly advertisers and manufacturers are seeking to employ presenters to endorse products. Although the BBC does not seek to place unnecessary constraints on talent, it is essential that promotional activities do not constitute a conflict of interest and do not undermine the editorial integrity of presenters or the programmes they present. "Any presenter who appears on-air in a journalistic capacity will have considerable restrictions on what, if any, promotional activities they may undertake. There will be fewer restrictions on entertainment presenters or lifestyle presenters providing their integrity and the integrity of the programme they present is not undermined. "News, current affairs and business programmes Presenters and reporters on news, current affairs and business programmes are not permitted to take part in any promotions, endorsements or advertisements for third parties." • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".