Cash-for-honours detective 'must put his case to MPs'

Published on Tuesday 24 July 2007 00:31

MPS are pushing to hear evidence in public from the detective who led the cash-for-honours inquiry.

The Public Administration Committee is due to meet today to discuss how to proceed with its long-delayed investigation into the patronage system.

Paul Rowen, the Liberal Democrat MP for Rochdale, said it was "absolutely vital" Assistant Commissioner John Yates be given the "opportunity to put his case", following the CPS decision last week that no charges would be brought.

He said: "There is a lot more to this than meets the eye. While there may be sufficient evidence for a criminal investigation, there are a lot of questions that have not been answered."

Mr Rowen insisted that the police evidence file which was passed to the CPS should also be supplied to the committee and published.

David Burrowes, the Tory MP for Enfield Southgate, said it was necessary to hear from Mr Yates to "get to the bottom" of the matter.

He added: "We may need to see him in private first, but then it should be in public."