Hacking was ‘widely discussed’ by NOTW staff

FORMER News of the World editor Andy Coulson faces fresh questions over his role in the phone-hacking scandal after MPs released documents which claim that the practice was “widely discussed” at the newspaper.

Papers published by the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee suggest the issue frequently came up at the paper’s editorial meetings until Mr Coulson banned any further mention of the subject.

Despite resigning as the paper’s editor in 2007, Mr Coulson has consistently maintained he had been unaware of the practice, claiming it was confined to one “rogue” reporter — former royal editor Clive Goodman.