Police complete internal Green investigation
Tuesday, 9 December 2008 5:10 PM
The Metropolitan police have completed the interim report into their own investigation over the arrest of shadow immigration minister Damian Green.
British transport police chief constable Ian Johnston delivered his report to assistant commissioner Bob Quick and acting-commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson at a private meeting in Scotland Yard this afternoon.
Mr Quick said: "The review of our decisions, actions and handling of the investigation to date continues so it would be inappropriate to comment in any detail at this time.
"We look forward to receiving his completed report in due course."
In parliament today, the speaker assured MPs police were not given access to MPs' emails or computer files during the raid on Mr Green's office.
The confirmation followed sustained questions from MPs yesterday during the debate on the arrest.
"No access was given to data on the server and PICT [the Parliamentary Information and Communications Technology service] was not asked to do so by the serjeant-at-arms," speaker Michael Martin said.
In a separate development, a group of MPs are to investigate the "police aspects and processes" in the arrest of Mr Green.
The home affairs select committee said it would hold an inquiry on the issue, with the terms of reference to be published shortly.
Mr Green was arrested 11 days ago on suspicion of conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office. He was detained for nine hours while police searched his parliamentary offices and home.
The issue has united opposition parties, who came close to defeating the government in the Commons yesterday as they debated Mr Green's arrest.
Committee chairman Keith Vaz was one of 29 Labour MPs who rebelled against the government on calls for the remit and timing of the inquiry to be changed.
He said it was "vital" that issues of "political involvement in police matters and the process of arrests of this kind" are examined.
"This inquiry is very much in the public interest.
"The committee is yet to agree its terms of reference but our remit is to examine the police processes and the involvement, if any, of political figures in these matters.
"I hope that we can conduct the inquiry quickly and efficiently in order to ensure that best practice recommendations can be made as soon as possible."
Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said: "There can be little doubt that the home affairs select committee will conduct a more thorough investigation than the sham inquiry offered by the government.
"It is vital that the full involvement of political figures in this policing mess is known.
"However, the limited reach of the committee means that it is unlikely to uncover the full story."
Reacting to the news, chief secretary to the Treasury Yvette Cooper told BBC News: "It's very important they [select committees] should be able to conduct inquiries where they see fit."
Mr Martin's efforts to achieve cross-party unity in the wake of police officers' search of Mr Green's parliamentary office were left in peril yesterday.
The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats said they would boycott the seven-member committee Mr Martin had tasked with investigating the failure.
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