Culture, Media and Sport CommitteeLetter from the Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee to Farrer and Co

As you are aware, the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee has been investigating claims that it was misled during its predecessor Committee’s 2009 inquiry into Press Standards, Privacy and Libel.

You will note that Farrer and Co was referred to during an exchange between James Murdoch and Adrian Sanders at an evidence session on 19 July (see Q260 to Q263 in the enclosed transcript).

In this context the Committee would be grateful if you could set out in writing the following information:

1. The role that Farrer and Co played in advising News Corporation on whether or not to settle with Gordon Taylor.

2. Assuming that Farrer and Co were engaged to provide advice on the Gordon Taylor settlement, the Committee would be grateful to receive details of that advice, including on the amount of the settlement and the extent to which it rested on a confidentiality agreement.

3. Again assuming that Farrer and Co were engaged to provide advice on the Gordon Taylor settlement, information on when—if at all—the firm’s attention was drawn to the “for Neville” email, and by whom.

In addition to the above information, the Committee would like Farrer and Co to comment on written evidence supplied to the Committee by Mark Lewis (PH22, enclosed). Mark Lewis says that Mr Pike told him that, in the context of the Gordon Taylor settlement, he was “negotiating with Murdoch”. The Committee would be grateful for clarification on this point, specifically whether Mr Pike was referring to James Murdoch or Rupert Murdoch, and how he knew this to be the case.

The Committee would be grateful for a response to arrive no later than 4 pm on Wednesday 31 August, 2011.

With many thanks for your assistance in this matter.

16 August 2011