Wednesday Volume 531 20 July 2011 No. 191 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 20 July 2011 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2011 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through The National Archives website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/our-services/parliamentary-licence-information.htm Enquiries to The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 917 20 JULY 2011 918 House of Commons Public Confidence in the Media and Police 11.35 am Wednesday 20 July 2011 The Prime Minister (Mr David Cameron): With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement. The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock, notice Over the past two weeks, a torrent of revelations and having been given by Mr Speaker (Standing Order allegations has engulfed some of this country’s most No. 13) important institutions. It has shaken people’s trust in the media and the legality of what they do, in the police PRAYERS and their ability to investigate media malpractice, and yes, in politics and in politicians’ ability to get to grips with these issues. People desperately want us to put a [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] stop to the illegal practices, to ensure the independence and effectiveness of the police, and to establish a more Speaker’s Statement healthy relationship between politicians and media owners. Above all, they want us to act on behalf of the victims: Mr Speaker: I have a short statement to make. people who have suffered dreadfully—including through I was very concerned at the incident in the Culture, murder and terrorism—and who have had to relive that Media and Sport Committee hearing yesterday. It is agony all over again because of phone hacking. The wholly unacceptable for a member of the public to public want us to work together to sort this problem treat, and to be able to treat, a witness in this way. It is out, because until we do so it will not be possible to get all the more regrettable that such an incident should back to the issues they care about even more: getting happen at a time when, particularly over the last few our economy moving, creating jobs, helping with the days, the work of this House and its Committees has cost of living, protecting us from terrorism, and restoring enhanced the reputation of Parliament. fairness to our welfare and immigration systems. I have immediately set in hand an expert investigation So let me set out the action we have taken. We now into what took place, the reasons for the security failure have a well led police investigation which will examine and the lessons to be learned. This investigation will be criminal behaviour by the media and corruption in the entirely independent of the House authorities. police. We have set up a wide-ranging and independent judicial inquiry under Lord Justice Leveson to establish what went wrong, why and what we need to do to ensure it never happens again. I am the first Prime Minister to publish meetings with media editors, proprietors and senior executives to bring complete transparency to the relationship between Government Ministers and the media, stretching right back to the general election. And the House of Commons, by speaking so clearly about its revulsion at the phone hacking allegations, helped to cause the end of the News Corp bid for the rest of BSkyB. Today, I would like to update the House on the action we are taking, first, on the make-up and remit of the public inquiry; secondly, on issues concerning the police service; and thirdly, I will answer—I am afraid at some length—all of the key questions that have been raised about my role and that of my staff. First, on the judicial inquiry and the panel of experts who will assist it, those experts will be: the civil liberties campaigner and director of Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti; the former chief constable of the West Midlands, Sir Paul Scott-Lee; the former chairman of Ofcom, Lord David Currie; the long-serving former political editor of Channel 4 News, Elinor Goodman; the former political editor of The Daily Telegraph and former special correspondent of the Press Association, George Jones; and the former chairman of the Financial Times, Sir David Bell. These people have been chosen not only for their expertise in the media, broadcasting, regulation and policing, but for their complete independence from the interested parties. I also said last week that the inquiry will proceed in two parts, and I set out a draft terms of reference. We have consulted Lord Justice Leveson, the Opposition, the Chairs of relevant Select Committees, and the devolved Administrations. I also talked to the family of Milly Dowler and the Hacked Off campaign. 919 Public Confidence in the Media and 20 JULY 2011 Public Confidence in the Media and 920 Police Police [The Prime Minister] We believe that this crisis calls for us to stand back and take another, broader look at the whole culture of We have made some significant amendments to the policing in this country, including the way it is led. At remit of the inquiry. With allegations that the problem the moment, the police system is too closed. There is of the relationship between the press and the police only one point of entry into the force. There are too few, goes wider than just the Met, we have agreed that other and arguably too similar, candidates for the top jobs. As relevant forces will now be within the scope of the everyone knows, Tom Winsor is looking into police inquiry. We have agreed that the inquiry should consider careers, and I want to see radical proposals for how we not just the relationship between the press, police and can open up our police force and bring in fresh leadership. politicians, but their individual conduct too. We have The Government are introducing elected police and also made clear that the inquiry should look not just at crime commissioners, ensuring that there is an individual the press, but at other media organisations, including holding their local force to account for local people, and broadcasters and social media if there is any evidence we need to see whether we can extend that openness to that they have been involved in criminal activities. I am the operational side too. today placing in the Library of the House the final Why should all police officers have to start at the terms of reference. Lord Justice Leveson and the panel same level? Why should not someone with a different will get to work immediately. He will aim to make a report skill set be able to join the police force in a senior rank? on the first part of the inquiry within 12 months. There Why should not someone who has been a proven success should be no doubt: this public inquiry is as robust as overseas be able to help us to turn around a force here at possible; it is fully independent; and Lord Justice Leveson home? I believe that those are questions we should ask will be able to summon witnesses under oath. to get the greater transparency and stronger corporate Let me now turn to the extraordinary events we have governance we need in Britain’s policing. seen over the past few days at Britain’s largest police Finally, let me turn to the specific questions that I force, the Met. On Sunday, Sir Paul Stephenson resigned have been asked in recent days. First, it has been suggested as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. I want to that my chief of staff was behaving wrongly when he thank him for the work he has carried out in policing did not take up then Assistant Commissioner Yates’s over many, many years in London and elsewhere. On offer to be briefed on police investigations around phone Monday, Assistant Commissioner John Yates also resigned, hacking. I have said repeatedly about the police investigation and again, I want to express my gratitude for the work that they should pursue the evidence wherever it leads he has done, especially in improving our response to and arrest exactly whom they wish, and that is exactly terrorism. what they have done. Given the sudden departure of two such senior officers, the first concern must be to ensure that the effective No. 10 has now published the full e-mail exchange policing of our capital, and confidence in that policing, between my chief of staff and John Yates, and it shows are maintained. I have asked the Home Secretary and that my staff behaved entirely properly. Ed Llewellyn’s the Mayor of London to ensure that the responsibilities reply to the police made clear that it would be not be of the Met will continue seamlessly. The current Deputy appropriate to give me or my staff any privileged briefing. Commissioner, Tim Godwin, who stood in for Paul The reply that he sent was cleared in advance by my Stephenson when he was ill and did a good job, will permanent secretary, Jeremy Heywood. Just imagine, shortly do so again. The vital counter-terrorism job Mr Speaker, if they had done the opposite and asked carried out by John Yates will be taken on by the highly for, or acquiesced to, receiving privileged information, experienced Cressida Dick. even if there was no intention to use it. There would The responsibilities of the Deputy Commissioner, have been quite justified outrage.