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Honours probe coverage 'worrying' Loans probe coverage 'worrying'
(20 minutes later)
Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell has told MPs Downing Street has fully complied with police investigating cash-for-honours allegations.Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell has told MPs Downing Street has fully complied with police investigating cash-for-honours allegations.
Sir Gus, head of the civil service, also rejected a suggestion the probe was a distraction for the government.Sir Gus, head of the civil service, also rejected a suggestion the probe was a distraction for the government.
He denied reports of a second e-mail system in No 10, saying he had learned not to believe everything papers said.He denied reports of a second e-mail system in No 10, saying he had learned not to believe everything papers said.
He added, to the Public Administration Committee: "I find it deeply worrying how much media coverage there is."He added, to the Public Administration Committee: "I find it deeply worrying how much media coverage there is."
Sir Gus, who was press secretary to John Major in Number 10 in the 1990s, said that that experience had taught him "not to believe everything I read in newspapers".
Chairman of the committee, Tony Wright, asked what he thought of the newspaper reports of a second, secret, e-mail system in Number 10.
'Full in-tray'
He said: "There's no second e-mail system inside No 10."
Sir Gus was also asked whether all the relevant "bits of paper" in No 10 had been turned over to the police.
Sir Gus highlighted a previous police letter to the committee in which they said they had been given full cooperation by the Cabinet Office.
"There's no reason to think that's changed," he added. "We've complied fully with all requests."
Mr Wright also asked whether the whole affair was distracting from the business of government.
Sir Gus replied by saying that he had a "full in-tray", and that the government was busy on issues such as energy, pensions, counter-terrorism and policy reviews.
Asked, then, if it was "government as usual", he said: "Absolutely, yes. I think government's getting on with things. In that sense we carry on."
Widened
The police inquiry began after it emerged that secret loans had been made to Labour before the 2005 general election, and that some lenders had subsequently been nominated for peerages.
About 90 people have been questioned as part of the inquiry, which widened to cover the other main parties. Among those questioned are Tony Blair and former Conservative leader Michael Howard.
It also appears the inquiry has widened in scope, from the original laws against selling honours, to whether anyone has attempted to pervert the course of justice during the police inquiry.
Four people have been arrested in total: Des Smith, who was told on Tuesday he will not face charges; Labour donor Sir Christopher Evans; Downing Street adviser Ruth Turner; and Labour's chief fundraiser Lord Levy.
No one has been charged and all involved deny any wrongdoing.