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Newspapers: Surveillance Methods

My Lords, with the leave of the House, I shall repeat a Statement made by my right honourable friend the Minister for Policing, Crime and Counter-Terrorism (Mr. David Hanson), entitled, "Newspapers: Surveillance Methods". "I am grateful for the opportunity to respond to the honourable Gentleman’s question. I should first of all inform the House that my right honourable friend the Home Secretary is today in Manchester at the Association of Chief Police Officers conference and is therefore unable to respond to the question himself. The original allegations date back to 2006, following which, as the House will be aware, there were convictions. However, serious allegations have appeared in the newspapers this morning, which clearly go much wider than the original case. That is why I have spoken this morning to the assistant commissioner, specialist operations, John Yates, and why my right honourable friend the Home Secretary has spoken to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner within the past hour. The Metropolitan Police are urgently considering these allegations and will be making a statement this afternoon. It would be wrong for me in any way to pre-empt that statement as this is first and foremost an operational matter for the Metropolitan Police. However, I give an undertaking to the House that I will report back following the considerations by the Metropolitan Police, when I can do so". My Lords, that concludes the Statement.