PS 105

 

 

Tim Toulmin,

 

 

 

9 July 2009

 

 

 

You will be aware of media reports today regarding illegal phone tapping by journalists from News International Ltd.

 

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has been extremely concerned to see suggestions in the press that Clive Goodman's was not a one-off case. If illegal phone tapping was in fact a widespread practice, and News International have settled cases amounting to £1m to prevent this from becoming public knowledge then that is very serious indeed.

 

At its meeting this morning the Committee agreed that I should write to you to ask the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) to submit supplementary evidence to our inquiry on Press standards, privacy and libel regarding the PCC's knowledge of these allegations and what action you now plan to take.

 

We plan to take oral evidence on this issue next Tuesday, and may wish to take further oral evidence from the PCC at a subsequent meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JOHN WHITTINGDALE OBE MP

CHAIRMAN