Culture, Media and Sport CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by Rebekah Brooks, former CEO, News International

Thank you for your letter of 29 July 2011.

I am currently abroad and unable to access the material I need to answer your first question. I would be very grateful if you could extend the time for me to provide this information to 16 September 2011 by which time I hope I will be able to assist.

Regarding your second question, I first became aware of the suggestion that the number of a phone belonging to Sara Payne had been found in a notebook belonging to Mr Mulcaire when my attention was drawn to a piece in The Guardian online on the afternoon of 28 July 2011. In relation to the allegation by DCI Underhill it was brought to my attention following press reporting the next day, the 29 July 2011.

I released a statement on 28 July 2011 in response to the inaccuracies in the Guardian piece and to correct the inference they were trying to draw as follows:

“These allegations are abhorrent and particularly upsetting as Sara Payne is a dear friend.

For the benefit of the campaign for Sarah's Law, the News of the World have provided Sara with a mobile telephone for the last eleven years. It was not a personal gift.

The idea that anyone on the newspaper knew that Sara or the campaign team were targeted by Mr Mulcaire is unthinkable. The idea of her being targeted is beyond my comprehension.

It is imperative for Sara and the other victims of crime that these allegations are investigated and those culpable brought to justice”.

I am therefore unable to provide any information on who was responsible for any phone hacking either actual, attempted or contemplated in relation to Sara or DCI Underhill.