POLICE 'TOOK MP BUGGING DECISION' !

A decision to bug a conversation between a Labour MP and his constituent was taken by a Thames Valley Police officer, the BBC understands. It follows claims counter-terrorism officers secretly recorded discussions between Tooting MP Sadiq Khan and a constituent he was visiting in jail. BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson says ministers were not consulted and Mr Khan was not the target of the bugging. Justice Secretary Jack Straw is to make a Commons statement at 1530 GMT.

He has ordered a probe into the claim, which if true would breach a 40-year-old anti-bugging code. Nick Robinson says he understood ministers were not consulted about the bugging of Mr Khan. "The decision was taken by Thames Valley Police and Mr Khan was not the target of the bugging." He said a police officer, who is facing disciplinary action on an unrelated matter, was involved. "Although his case does not centre on the bugging, he will claim that he had the approval of his chief constable," he said.

The Commons home affairs select committee said it would investigate the allegations as part of its inquiry into the "surveillance society". Committee chairman Keith Vaz said it would be questioning senior police officers with responsibility for counter-terrorism, together with Home Office minister Tony McNulty. Mr Vaz said if the allegations were true, they would take the surveillance society into an entirely new dimension.

The conversations alleged to have been recorded took place in 2005 and 2006 at Woodhill Prison, in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. They were between Mr Khan and Babar Ahmad - a constituent and childhood friend - who is in prison awaiting extradition to the US.

He is accused there of running websites supporting the Taleban and Chechen terrorists, though he faces no charges in the UK. Mr Khan, a government whip, has campaigned for Mr Ahmad's release.

We have received a number of letters from David Davis since the beginning of December, on matters such as the Humber Bridge, the Security Industry Authority and Licensing laws - Downing Street spokeswoman. Police are entitled to monitor prisoners' communications but such operations must first be approved by the surveillance commissioner who considers them on a case-by-case basis.

However, a code known as the Wilson Doctrine forbids the covert recording of conversations between MPs and their constituents. Mr Straw is expected to announce later who will lead the inquiry into the alleged breach. Mr Khan has welcomed the probe, saying that if his conversation was indeed recorded, it would undermine the basis of the relationship between MPs and constituents.

Scotland Yard has refused to comment on the allegations, made in the Sunday Times. Mr Straw has said he has no knowledge of what had happened but that it is "completely unacceptable" for MPs' conversations to be recorded. Jack Straw says recording MPs' conversations is "unacceptable"

The Conservatives have published a letter which they say shadow home secretary David Davis sent to Prime Minister Gordon Brown in December alerting him to the possible breach of the doctrine. But Downing Street says it has no record of the letter being received by Mr Brown. A spokeswoman said: "We have received a number of letters from David Davis since the beginning of December, on matters such as the Humber Bridge, the Security Industry Authority and Licensing laws.

"But having conducted a detailed check, we have no record of receiving a letter about the bugging of MPs. "Consequently the prime minister knows nothing about this letter."

But Conservative leader David Cameron said: "They lost 25 million tax details - I suppose one letter pales in significance." He said "some very clear answers" were needed from the government about "who knew about the bugging" and if they knew they were effectively bugging an MP "did they ensure it was authorised at the highest level".

Shami Chakrabati, the director of human rights group Liberty, said while she accepted that surveillance was "a necessary part of modern life", there were insufficient safeguards for people to have confidence in the authorities that use it.
BBC NEWS REPORT.