Culture, Media and Sport CommitteeLetter from the Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee to Rebekah Brooks, former CEO, News International
I write following James Murdoch’s appearance before the Committee on 10 November 2011 (transcript enclosed). At that session, James Murdoch was asked questions about the terms of the settlement made to Max Clifford by News International and about the alleged surveillance of select committee members conducted by or on behalf of the News of the World.
The Committee has agreed that it would like to seek further detail on both these matters. In evidence, James Murdoch stated that the settlement with Max Clifford was authorised by you as Chief Executive of News International. I would be grateful, therefore, if you could provide answers to the following questions:
1.Please confirm who authorised the settlement with Max Clifford and when.
2.Please supply the date on which the settlement was concluded.
3.Were details of the settlement, or the proposal to settle, discussed by the boards of News Group Newspapers (NGN), News International (NI) or News Corporation? If not, please explain why not.
4.What role did you play in the authorisation of the settlement and agreement of its terms?
5.Was the authorisation of the Chairman of NI (or NGN) necessary under the company’s procedures, or was authority delegated to you at the time? If so, when was authority delegated, why and by whom?
6.Did Max Clifford serve a claim—either formally, or in draft form, with or without full particulars—against the News of the World (NotW), NGN, NI, any named employee of the group, Glenn Mulcaire or any further agent, consultant, adviser or sub-contractor of the newspaper or group?
7.Was any defence made or attempted against Max Clifford’s action or threatened action?
8.Did Mr Clifford’s claim or allegations implicate any other employee, agent, consultant, adviser, sub-contractor or person other than connected to NotW, NGN, NI, News Corp or any other group publications?
9.Was a legal opinion from Counsel or any other legal source commissioned prior to the settlement with Max Clifford, as it was in the Taylor case? If so, who provided the opinion? If an opinion was not commissioned, please explain why the process differed from that employed in the Taylor case?
10.If there is a legal opinion from Counsel or any other legal source, please summarise that advice.
11.Were you aware of the legal advice received in relation to the Taylor case, either from external Counsel or solicitors or from Tom Crone, prior or subsequent to settling with Max Clifford? If so, who made you aware of that advice?
12.Did you ask for any of the legal advice received in connection with the Taylor case prior to settling with Max Clifford? If not, why not?
13.Did the settlement with Max Clifford involve settling with any other connected parties at or around the same time, or subsequently?
14.What role, if any, did Tom Crone, Colin Myler, Jonathan Chapman or James Murdoch play in the settlement of the Clifford case?
The Committee has written on similar terms to James Murdoch. It has also written to Max Clifford to ask whether he would be able to assist the Committee regarding his settlement with News International, with appropriate safeguards to protect his privacy.
The Committee takes very seriously allegations of covert surveillance of complainants’ lawyers and members of the Committee. I would be grateful, therefore, if you could also provide answers to the following questions on that matter:
15. Please supply any information that you have on the surveillance allegedly carried out on members of the Committee in 2009, or at any other time, by or on behalf of the NotW, NGN or NI.
16. Please supply any information that you have on the surveillance carried out on claimants’ lawyers, including Mark Lewis and Charlotte Harris and members of their families, by or on behalf of NotW, NGN or NI.
17. `Please declare any involvement you had in commissioning or approving any such surveillance; details of who else was aware of such surveillance; and details of who commissioned or approved it.
The Committee would be grateful to receive your response as soon as possible, but in any case by no later than noon on Thursday 1 December.
22 November 2011
