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Police expected to quiz Coulson over phone-hack claims Police expected to quiz Coulson over phone-hack claims
(40 minutes later)
The police are likely to discuss new phone-hacking allegations with Downing Street communications chief Andy Coulson. The police are likely to discuss new phone-hacking allegations with No 10 communications chief Andy Coulson.
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates said he expected that the ex-editor of the News of the World would be questioned. Met Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates said he expected that the former editor of the News of the World, who denies the claims, would be questioned.
He told MPs that of the 91 to 120 people who might have been targeted, only 10 to 12 cases could be proved. He told MPs that of the 91 to 120 people who might have been targeted, only 10 to 12 cases could be prove.
Mr Coulson denies the claims and says he would be happy to talk to police. After his evidence, the MPs on the select committee launched a new inquiry into phone-hacking laws.
The row comes after former News of the World reporter Sean Hoare alleged that, as editor, Mr Coulson asked him to hack phones. Labour MP Keith Vaz, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: "The evidence of Assistant Commissioner John Yates raised a number questions of importance about the law on phone hacking, the way the police deal with such breaches of the law and the manner in which victims are informed of those breaches.
Mr Yates told the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee the police would be speaking to Mr Hoare "in the near future". "I hope that this inquiry will clarify all these important areas."
And when asked about Mr Coulson, he replied: "I imagine we will be seeing Mr Coulson in some capacity."
'Extremely evasive''Extremely evasive'
The new phone hacking row engulfing Mr Coulson comes after former News of the World reporter Sean Hoare alleged that, as editor, he asked him to hack phones. His claims are also denied by News International, which owns the NotW.
Mr Yates told committee the police would be speaking to Mr Hoare "in the near future".
And when asked about Mr Coulson, he replied: "I imagine we will be seeing Mr Coulson in some capacity."
Mr Yates has already said the Met was considering new material and would consult with prosecutors whether to reopen its investigation into the NotW.
Mr Coulson has come under fresh pressure after Mr Hoare and other former journalists told the New York Times that the practice of phone hacking was far more extensive than the newspaper acknowledged when police first investigated the case.Mr Coulson has come under fresh pressure after Mr Hoare and other former journalists told the New York Times that the practice of phone hacking was far more extensive than the newspaper acknowledged when police first investigated the case.
Mr Yates told the committee the New York Times was "not prepared to help" by passing over their evidence, but the Met had written again asking them to waive their "journalistic privilege".Mr Yates told the committee the New York Times was "not prepared to help" by passing over their evidence, but the Met had written again asking them to waive their "journalistic privilege".
The police have been criticised for failing to inform those people whose voicemail Pin numbers were discovered during the initial investigation, which saw a News of the World journalist and a private investigator jailed. The police have been criticised for failing to inform those people whose voicemail Pin numbers were discovered during the initial investigation, which saw a NotW journalist and a private investigator jailed.
Mr Yates was reluctant to discuss who was on the list but said the former Deputy PM Lord Prescott, who believes he was targeted, was not one of them.Mr Yates was reluctant to discuss who was on the list but said the former Deputy PM Lord Prescott, who believes he was targeted, was not one of them.
The police found evidence of crimes being committed in no more than 12 cases, he said, and those people had been contacted by officers or mobile phone service providers.The police found evidence of crimes being committed in no more than 12 cases, he said, and those people had been contacted by officers or mobile phone service providers.
Mr Yates warned MPs it was a "dangerous assumption" to believe individuals named on the list were victims of eavesdropping.
Phone hacking was very narrowly defined in legislation and "very, very difficult to prove", he said, adding that obtaining a Pin number without the owner's permission was not in itself a crime.
Acting Labour leader Harriet Harman has written to Met Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson asking him to alert any of the party's MPs "if their name, phone number or Pin number" appeared on the list.Acting Labour leader Harriet Harman has written to Met Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson asking him to alert any of the party's MPs "if their name, phone number or Pin number" appeared on the list.
The former Labour minister Chris Bryant, who believes his messages might have been hacked, said Mr Yates was "extremely evasive" before the select committee and the police had not "gone far enough".The former Labour minister Chris Bryant, who believes his messages might have been hacked, said Mr Yates was "extremely evasive" before the select committee and the police had not "gone far enough".
New materialNew material
On Monday, Labour MPs demanded that the police reopen the investigation. The first police investigation led to the NotW's royal editor, Clive Goodman, being jailed in 2007 for conspiracy to access phone messages left for royal aides.
Home Secretary Theresa May told the House of Commons it was for police to take the decision, while the Met Police said new material would be considered.
The first police investigation led to the News of the World's royal editor, Clive Goodman, being jailed in 2007 for conspiracy to access phone messages left for royal aides.
Goodman, along private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, who was jailed for six months for the same charge, used mobile phone numbers and secret codes used by network operators to hack into the voicemails to see if there was any information of interest.Goodman, along private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, who was jailed for six months for the same charge, used mobile phone numbers and secret codes used by network operators to hack into the voicemails to see if there was any information of interest.
Last year, the Guardian newspaper claimed News of the World journalists were involved in widespread phone hacking of several thousand celebrities, sports stars and politicians.Last year, the Guardian newspaper claimed News of the World journalists were involved in widespread phone hacking of several thousand celebrities, sports stars and politicians.
In light of the new information in the New York Times, Mr Yates told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday: "We've always said that if any new material or new evidence was produced then we would consider it."In light of the new information in the New York Times, Mr Yates told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday: "We've always said that if any new material or new evidence was produced then we would consider it."
He said the New York Times and the Met Police had been in touch for many months regarding the story, but Mr Hoare's interview was the first "new evidence" they had been able to produce.He said the New York Times and the Met Police had been in touch for many months regarding the story, but Mr Hoare's interview was the first "new evidence" they had been able to produce.
He said officers would now consider the information and consult the Crown Prosecution Service before taking any action.He said officers would now consider the information and consult the Crown Prosecution Service before taking any action.
Shadow Home Secretary Alan Johnson has said the actions of the Metropolitan Police Service had to be subjected to greater scrutiny in light of the New York Times allegations. On Monday, Labour MPs demanded that the police reopen the investigation.
He said: "When I was home secretary dealing with this case there was nobody anywhere in government who was implicated. Now there is." Shadow Home Secretary Alan Johnson told the Commons Mr Coulson's position was now "untenable".
He told the Commons Mr Coulson's position was now "untenable".
Mr Coulson, who has the support of Downing Street, has said he would be "happy to voluntarily meet" police over the latest claims.Mr Coulson, who has the support of Downing Street, has said he would be "happy to voluntarily meet" police over the latest claims.