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

I write in relation to the Committee’s work on phone-hacking. I enclose a copy of the transcript of the Committee’s evidence session with James Murdoch, which took place on 10 November 2011.

You will be aware of media reports that members of the Committee were put under surveillance by journalists and private investigators acting on behalf of the News of the World for a period of between three and ten days in 2009. In oral evidence on 10 November 2011, James Murdoch said that he was aware that Tom Watson MP had been put under surveillance by News International (Q 1656).

In oral evidence James Murdoch also stated that Tom Crone and one other person had authorised the surveillance of Mark Lewis, the solicitor acting on behalf of Graham Taylor against News Group Newspapers, and members of his family (Qq 1652–1655)

I would be grateful if you could supply answers to the following questions:

1. Please supply any information that you may have on the surveillance carried out on members of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee in 2009 by or on behalf of News Group Newspapers or News International.

2. Please declare any involvement that you may have had in commissioning the surveillance mentioned in Q1, above.

3. Please supply any information that you may have on the surveillance carried out on Mark Lewis and members of his family by or on behalf of News Group Newspapers or News International.

4. Please declare any involvement that you may have had in commissioning the surveillance mentioned in Q3, above.

The Committee would be grateful to receive your response by no later than noon on Monday 28 November.

16 November 2011