Phone Hacking Debate

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Department: Attorney General

Phone Hacking

Kevin Brennan Excerpts
Wednesday 6th July 2011

(13 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Dominic Grieve Portrait The Attorney-General
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May I respectfully say to the hon. Lady that I am not sure that in my capacity as the Queens’s Attorney-General that is a question to which I would necessarily have the immediate answer? What I can say to her is that a series of criminal investigations are taking place, along with wider inquiry, and the Government are committed, as I have just indicated, to there being an inquiry into the matter. I am sorry to disappoint her but, in any event, I do not think that this is a question that I am in a position to answer.

Kevin Brennan Portrait Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)
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As a former competition Minister, may I ask the Attorney-General whether, in his view, the Culture Secretary has the power, and always has had the power, to refer the News Corp takeover to the Competition Commission?

Dominic Grieve Portrait The Attorney-General
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Well, may I say to the hon. Gentleman that my understanding—I checked this before the start of the debate—is that my right hon. Friend the Culture Secretary did refer the takeover to the Competition Commission?