News International chiefs 'surprised' by hacking claim

Senior executives at News International were “surprised” to hear claims from jailed former News of the World royal correspondent Clive Goodman that phone hacking was widespread at the paper, the company’s former personnel chief told MPs today.

After his release from jail in 2007, Mr Goodman wrote an explosive letter to the then NI group human resources director Daniel Cloke protesting against his dismissal for hacking the phones of members of the royal household.