The BBC has failed to answer a Press Gazette Freedom of Information request asking about the rehiring of staff who have received redundancy payments from the corporation.

An FoI was sent to the corporation on 7 September last year after a whistleblower suggested the practice was widespread within the corporation.

Between 2012 and 2014, the BBC announced more than 600 redundancies – 415 in 2014, 75 in 2013 and 140 in 2012 – would by made across its news division under the Delivering Quality First scheme. On 31 December 2011, BBC News had a headcount of 7,665. On 31 December 2015, this figure had been reduced by 310 to 7,355, according to Freedom of Information documents.