Attorney general to advise MPs on wording of phone hacking report

The attorney general is to give advice to MPs on the wording of a long-awaited report into newspaper phone hacking next week, according to reports.

Reuters says Dominic Grieve will brief the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee on Monday – and that the final report could be ready by the end of the month.

He is expected to advise members on how to avoid prejudicing any future trial and whether the report needs to tone down any references to individuals.

Since the committee reopened its investigation last year, 21 people have been arrested under Operation Weeting, the Metropolitan police inquiry into phone hacking.

Labour MP Tom Watson, who sits on the committee, told Reuters: "The reason it's taking so long is we've been very, very cautious. We test the meaning of words within phrases within sentences within paragraphs."

He added: "My sense is most of the report will be published with the unanimous support of all members. There might be one or two points where we disagree."

The committee's initial report on phone hacking, in January 2010, said it was "inconceivable" that News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman was the only person who knew about phone hacking. It also accused News International executives of having "collective amnesia" about what happened.

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