Law firm authorised to talk about hacking allegations

A law firm barred from answering allegations that it failed to raise the alarm over evidence of police bribes at News International has tonight been authorised to talk to police and MPs.

Harbottle & Lewis has come under renewed pressure to clarify why it did not hand over files to the police while representing the newspaper group.

It followed claims by Ken Macdonald, the former director of public prosecutions, that a police probe into payments to officers could have been launched as far back as 2007.

News Corporation’s management and standards committee announced tonight its British arm, News International, has given the law firm permission to answer questions from Scotland Yard and Parliamentary committees.

It released a statement that said: “News Corporation’s management and standards committee can confirm that News International has today authorised the law firm Harbottle & Lewis to answer questions from the Metropolitan Police Service and parliamentary select committees in respect of what they were asked to do.

“The MSC is authorised to co-operate fully with all relevant investigations and inquiries in the News of the World phone hacking case, police payments and all other related issues across News International, as well as conducting its own enquiries where appropriate.”