Culture, Media and Sport CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by John Yates QPM, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Metropolitan Police

Further to my appearance before your Committee on 24 March and your subsequent letter dated 28 March, I am writing to provide answers to the questions raised. Where I am constrained from providing a full response I will of course explain why, but I hope that the following is helpful to your Committee.

In relation to Q26 and Q119 I can confirm that following the media reporting in autumn last year four men were interviewed under caution and by appointment. Interviews (not under caution) were sought with a number of other people who we intended to treat as potential witnesses. It is contrary to MPS policy to release an overall figure as to do so may lead to unhelpful speculation as to their identities.

In response to Q50, it was approximately December 2009 when the list of 91 was generated in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.

In Q70, the venue of my dinner with the Editor of the News of the World is requested. As the head of Counter Terrorism policing in the UK, and in common with other people who are subject to specific threat assessments in their own right, it would not be our normal practice to disclose the locations of appointments in my diary. However, on this occasion and in the interests of transparency I am able to tell the Committee that the location was The Ivy.

I have now considered the request at Q88. I would refer you here to our recent response to the Metropolitan Police Authority when asked for details of meetings between senior MPS officers and senior executives of News International between 2006 and 2011. I had dinner with the Editor of the Sunday Times in September of 2007 and again in September 2009, and in November that year I also had dinner with the Editor and Crime Editor of the News of the World. it may be helpful to know that in that same period I also met with representatives from other media outlets, including The Guardian, The Telegraph, the BBC, ITN and Channel 4. I do not keep a separate list of my social engagements.

I can confirm that in answer to Q108, 28 people were notified in 2006–07 that they may have been affected. In 2009 we revisited this issue resulting in an additional eight people being contacted and in a number of attempts being made to contact others. As I acknowledged in my evidence to your Committee. I have accepted that more could and should have been done in relation to those who may have been potential victims. This is now a matter for the new investigation.

In relation to Q130, I was not aware of this development before it came into the public domain.

With respect to Q146, I can confirm that Chris Bryant MP wrote to the Commissioner of the MPS on 9 July 2009. No trace has been found of any prior correspondence from Mr Bryant in relation to this issue. A meeting did take place between myself and Mr Bryant on a totally unrelated matter in 2004. This meeting was over seven years ago. To my recollection, no issue was raised in relation to the security of his mobile phone at that time.

I attach a copy of the letter dated 7 September 2006 from the original investigation team to the solicitors representing News of the World in keeping with your request at Q43. You will recall that I referenced this letter in my evidence to your Committee in 2009.1

In terms of our Hospitality Register (Q69 and 72), we are required to keep a record of the gifts and hospitality offered and to record whether the offer was accepted or declined. This is scrutinised regularly by the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA). When I provided my evidence to you, my understanding was that this was published on the MPA website. I have since learned that whilst the expenses of Management Board members are indeed declared in this way, those relating to gifts and hospitality are only included in relation to the Commissioner and the Deputy. A redacted version is placed on the MPS Publication Scheme at http://www.met.police.uk/foi/c_lists_and_registers.htm. Details in relation to gifts and hospitality relating to myself have only recently been requested and mode public by the MPA and this was fresh in my mind when I provided my evidence.

In relation to Q90, since assuming responsibility in July 2009 for dealing with the legacy of this case, relevant senior officers have been made aware that Mr Wallis and I know each other. The meeting referred to during my evidence was a private engagement attended by a number of others. There would be no reason to declare this.

Q105 is a matter for AC Dick and it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.

I hope you find this useful.

13 April 2011