Phone hacking, privacy and libel findings due out on 24 February

The Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) select committee is to publish its report into press standards, privacy and libel report at midnight on 24 February, after a year long inquiry.

The inquiry, which held its first hearing on 24 February 2009, has heard from numerous senior media figures, lawyers and media regulators.

Those who gave evidence included the former Press Complaints Commission (PCC) director and chair; lawyers from Carter-Ruck, Schillings and Swan-Turton.

Editors who gave evidence included Alan Rusbridger, the Guardian; Peter Hill, the Daily Express; Paul Dacre, the Daily Mail and Ian Hislop, Private Eye.

Other figures included Max Mosley, former president of the FIA; Gerry McCann and Guardian journalist Nick Davies.

Phone hacking findings
The report will include its findings following allegations made by the Guardian last summer over incidents of phone hacking at News International.

The Press Complaints Commission's own report on phone hacking found no new evidence further to its report in 2007 and was criticised by the Guardian and the Media Standards Trust for its approach, in turn provoking an additional regulation investigation by the International Federation of Journalists.

Baroness Buscombe told delegates at the Society of Editors' conference that she had received a letter from police lawyers claiming that evidence given to the select committee had been false.

Lawyer Mark Lewis, who now works for Stripes Solicitors and gave the evidence in question, disputed the claims in the statement and has complained several times to the PCC - initially calling for Buscombe's resignation. The PCC has made no comment on the correspondence.

Speaking to Journalism.co.uk in an interview last week, the new director of the PCC said the self-regulatory body would listen to any recommendations made by the committee:

"It's very dangerous for us to make predictions two weeks before they publish the report," said Stephen Abell. "We invited them in twice to see what we do and we'll listen to any recommendations they make."

Rebekah Brooks, chief executive of News International also submitted written evidence to the inquiry, but according to a Guardian report this week, has more recently challenged the committee for taking her remarks "completely out of context".

The Guardian also reported that Metropolitan police assistant commissioner John Yates had been reprimanded by committee for what it claimed was a failure to give more detailed evidence over phone hacking.

The select committee included: John Whittingdale (chairman); Peter Ainsworth; Alan Keen; Janet Anderson; Rosemary McKenna; Philip Davies; Adam Price; Paul Farrelly; Adrian Sanders; Mike Hall and Tom Watson. The following were also members of the committee during the inquiry: Nigel Evans and Helen Southworth.

Free daily newsletter

If you like our news and feature articles, you can sign up to receive our free daily (Mon-Fri) email newsletter (mobile friendly).