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Supplementary written evidence from Rebekah Brooks, News International (PS 181)
Thank you for your letter of 2 February.
Before I respond to your questions, I should register my own disappointment that, in noting the Committee's disappointment that I "felt that [my] attendance before it would be "pointless and a waste of the Committee's time"", you chose, for whatever reason, to take my words entirely out of context. You will recall that what I actually wrote, on 4 January, was "I hope you and your colleagues agree that my attendance before the Committee to face questions on the three areas to which you refer would be pointless and a waste of the Committee's time". Prior to those words, I had explained why I did not believe I could add anything to your Committee's inquiry in relation to three areas which were detailed in your letter to me of 15 December. I concluded my letter, after the wording which you have quoted out of context, by stating that "if there are other matters being investigated by yourselves and on which you and your colleagues feel I may have direct knowledge, I remain very happy to be of assistance." I trust you will agree that this makes it abundantly clear that I do not believe that any attendance by me before the Committee would be "pointless". I also trust you will agree that, given the fact that correspondence between us ends up in the public domain, it is very important to avoid quoting statements out of context which would allow incorrect and potentially damaging inferences to be drawn by some third parties who are all too eager to draw such inferences.
I should note that most of the questions in your letter, for reasons I have already explained at length in previous correspondence with the Committee, are not within my direct knowledge.
Taking your questions in order:-
1. Please confirm the earliest date that Glenn Mulcaire was paid by News International.
I assume by the reference to "News International" that you mean News of the World, as I am not aware that Mr. Mulcaire carried out work for other News International titles.
Colin Myler has previously told you (letter of 4 August 2009) that the earliest payment News of the World can find on its records either to Glen Mulcaire or to Nine Consultancy is September 2001. I understand that there is a record of a payment to Global Intel Services Limited (see question 8. below) on 20 April 2000 and this is the earliest date that records show. .
2. Please explain the circumstances around the "mobile conversion" of telephone number 07769 834867 made by you (Rebekah Brooks) as part of the Information Commissioner's inquiry. Was a public interest test applied and, if so, what were the grounds?
This was 9 years ago and I cannot recall why I required this particular conversion. You should note that "conversion" (ie finding out name and address details for a mobile phone number) is often carried out through perfectly legitimate means such as a web search.
3. Did you (Rebekah Brooks) ever meet Glenn Mulcaire?
I do not recall ever having met Mr. Mulcaire.
4. Was Glenn Mulcaire ever commissioned by News of the World whilst you (Rebekah Brooks) were Editor?
I became Editor in 2000 after the date on which the payment referred to in the response to question 1. above was made.
5. Are you aware of any other payments made to Clive Goodman as part of an understanding that he maintains his silence over his involvement with the Mulcaire episode?
It was, I hope, made very clear to you, in my letter to you of 4 November, that the payment made to Mr. Goodman following his trial and imprisonment (the only such payment) was a bona fide settlement of an employment-related claim, brokered between lawyers, and was not "part of an understanding that he maintains his silence over his involvement with the Mulcaire episode".
6. Which employees of News Group were aware that the police had evidence that Mulcaire was in possession of Pin Codes for the mobile phones of up to 91 people?
I understand that nobody was told this.
7. When did they know that the police had evidence that more people were hacked?
I assume by "hacked" that you mean interception of voicemail messages.
I understand that, at some stage between the arrests of Mr. Mulcaire and Mr. Goodman on 8 August, 2006, and their first appearance in court on 29 November, 2006, it became known, from information provided by the police, that Mr. Mulcaire had accessed the voicemails of people other than Royal Household employees. It was not known how many.
8. Are you aware of any payments to the following companies linked to Mulcaire:
C & E INTELLIGENCE SERVICES LIMITED - 03521201 C & E INTELLIGENCE SERVICES LIMITED - 03905508 GLOBAL INTEL SERVICES LIMITED - 03906297 NINE CONSULTANCY LIMITED - 04884543 NINE CONSULTANCY UK LIMITED - 05245852 EURO RESEARCH & INFORMATION SERVICES LIMITED - 04265445 EURINTEL LIMITED - 04814996 KEW MARKET RESEARCH LIMITED - 05165874 (PREVIOUS NAME TRENVILLE LIMITED)
I understand that News of the World records show payments only to Global Intel Services Limited, Nine Consultancy Limited and Euro Research & Information Services Limited (apparently, the original name of Nine Consultancy Limited).
February 2010 |