The Government is looking at privatising public broadcaster Channel 4, leaked official documents appear to show.

Papers carried by an unidentified official on his way into Number 10 were photographed by a Downing Street political photographer, Steve Back.

The documents, which are partially redacted, say “In your recent meeting with Matt Hancock you … extracting greater public value from the Channel 4 Corporation, focusing on privatisation options in particular whilst protecting …”

The paper carried a partially visible “Recommendation” heading and asks the Secretary of State to “indicate whether you are content with…” something written under that heading.

The memo is dated 24 September 2015 and is addressed to two unnamed secretaries of State. It is marked “Official – sensitive: commercial”. Matt Hancock, mentioned in the memo, is the Cabinet Office minister.

The documents appear to contradict a statement made by Conservative Culture Secretary John Whittingdale late last month, who denied that privatisation was under discussion.

Channel 4 is publicly owned and has a remit to provide a certain amount of public service broadcasting. Under like the BBC the channel sustains itself through the sale of adverts and other commercial activities.

The channel's sale has been mooted before but has never been followed through on.

“The ownership of Channel 4 is not currently under debate. Do I say there are no circumstances in which I would ever consider it? No I don’t,” he told the Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival.

Controversial Channel 4 programmes Show all 10 1 /10 Controversial Channel 4 programmes Controversial Channel 4 programmes Benefits Street The first series of Benefits Street made a star of James Turner Street resident White Dee (pictured). Last year, the programme caused as much controversy as Top Gear, being criticised for benefiting the ratings rather than the people who are in it. Channel 4 Controversial Channel 4 programmes The Undateables It first aired in 2012, featuring disabled singletons on a quest for love. Critics attacked the marketing of the reality TV show as "sensationalist", "harmful" and akin to exploitative Victorian "freak shows", but Channel 4 argued that the campaign and title was a reflection of society's own prejudices. Channel 4 Controversial Channel 4 programmes Dogging Tales The show was the most watched programme by 16-34 year olds, causing reactions on the disturbing range of animal masks worn by the “doggers”, and on the statistic reported on the show that 70 per cent of lorry drivers go dogging. Channel 4 Controversial Channel 4 programmes Big Fat Gypsy Weddings The show has been a ratings winner for Channel 4, but it was criticised by the Traveller community, saying it fuels discrimination and portrays their lives inaccurately. Controversial Channel 4 programmes The Paedophile Hunter The documentary shone a light into the murky world of internet vigilantism. In it, online vigilante Stinson Hunter and his associates lure and trap sexual predators by posing as underage children online, and then pass evidence on to the police and post it online. Channel 4 Controversial Channel 4 programmes Sex Box In the show couples have sex in a soundproofed box and then discuss it with a panel of experts afterwards. Our reviewer called it a titillation that masquerades as serious television. Controversial Channel 4 programmes Drugs Live: The Ecstasy Trial Hosted by Jon Snow, the programme showed people trying Ecstasy live on air. Actor and comedian Keith Allen volunteered to help the live study on the effect of the drug. Controversial Channel 4 programmes Angry White and Proud The documentary showed some of the less salubrious sides of far right groups and activities in this country, showing evidence that whilst it is true that actual street base support has dropped, this does not take into account how the narratives of these extreme groups has pervaded and spread across the internet. Channel 4 Controversial Channel 4 programmes Ukip: The First 100 Days The documentary received over 6,500 complaints after it imagined former Ukip leader Nigel Farage as Prime Minister. Controversial Channel 4 programmes Married at First Sight Documentary programme featured three couples, two of whom decided to get married without having previously met. Cameras followed them through their wedding night, honeymoon and their first few weeks of living together. Channel 4

A spokesperson for the Department for Culture Media and Sport today told the Independent it was considering various courses of action and did not deny that privatisation was on the table as an option.

“The Government has made no decisions regarding reform of Channel 4,” the spokesperson said. “Channel 4 has an important remit and we are looking at a range of options as to how to continue to deliver this, including options put forward by Channel 4."

Downing Street photographers have a history of revealing sensitive information by photographing documents.