Phone Hacking Debate

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Department: Home Office

Phone Hacking

Lord Davies of Oldham Excerpts
Wednesday 18th January 2012

(12 years, 11 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Henley Portrait Lord Henley
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My noble friend makes a very good point. All the matters she referred to are against the law, and we should always be very loath to pass new laws purely because we see a problem happening when there are existing laws that serve that purpose very well. The important matter is to make sure there is proper enforcement.

Lord Davies of Oldham Portrait Lord Davies of Oldham
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My Lords, why was the Minister so reluctant to comment on that part of the question asked by his noble friend Lord Fowler about concentration of press ownership? I thought the Minister belonged to a Government who were showing some concern about the wilder excesses of capitalism. Is not excessive concentration of press ownership a clear illustration of that?

Lord Henley Portrait Lord Henley
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My Lords, I think some of the concentration of press ownership happened during the Government of whom the noble Lord was such a distinguished member in former years. I do not think it would be appropriate, as I said, to comment in advance of the inquiry that will be concluded in due course, in his time, by Lord Justice Leveson.