MPs recalled to debate hacking

20th July 2011

The House of Commons has been recalled from its summer recess for an emergency debate on phone hacking today.

Prime minister David Cameron is expected to make a statement on the issue ahead of an all day-debate, which comes on what would have been the first day of the summer break for MPs.

As the Commons was not due to be sitting, ministers had to formally ask Speaker John Bercow to recall the House ahead of the start of recess on Tuesday evening.

Cameron has been briefed on the evidence given to Commons committees on Tuesday by News Corporation's Rupert and James Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks as well as former Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and John Yates who both resigned from Scotland Yard this week.

In a statement to MPs, the prime minister is expected to announce the names of the panel that will look at press regulation and the final terms of reference for the judicial inquiry he has set up and to explain efforts to be more transparent about meetings with newspaper executives.

A report released today from the Commons home affairs committee accused Scotland Yard of "a catalogue of failures" over the phone hacking investigation.

It attacked the "deliberate attempts by News International to thwart the various investigations" as it rushed out its findings just hours after holding its final committee hearing into the scandal on Tuesday.

The committee called for extra resources for the police investigation so new hacking victims can be informed more quickly.

The last time the Commons was recalled was in 2002, when parliamentarians returned in September to debate Iraq and weapons of mass destruction.

However, the upper chamber was already scheduled to sit today due to a backlog of legislation.

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