§ Mr. AshtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis into the circumstances surrounding the televising of the arrest of the Maxwell brothers to find out who gave the time and place of the arrest to the media.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe Maxwell investigation is being undertaken by the Serious Fraud Office in conjunction with the City of London police. It is the policy of both the Serious Fraud Office and the City of London police that no information about impending arrests and searches should be provided to the media. The policy was followed prior to the arrest of Kevin and Ian Maxwell on 18 June.
Neither the commissioner of the City of London police nor the director of the Serious Fraud Office has any evidence to suggest that unauthorised briefing occurred. Any person having such evidence should make it available to them so that it may be investigated.