Serious Organised Crime Agency chairman resigns
THINK IT HAS ANY THING TO DO WITH THE CRIME IN SIDE OUR GOVERNMENT THEY ALL ARE IN IT TOGETHER HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN YOU BUST IF IT IS OUR PRESIDENT AND ALL HIS MEN
WOW I WONDER WHY MAYBE IT IS OUR GOVERNMENT IS A ORGANISED CRIME
Sir Ian Andrews says his failure to declare outside directorship was an unintentional but inexcuseable oversight
Sir Ian Andrews has resigned as chair of Soca
The chairman of the Serious Organised Crime Agency has resigned amid controversy over the police unit's decision not to publish a list of companies who have used rogue private investigators for possible illegal activity.
Sir Ian Andrews announced his resignation after it emerged he had failed to declare a directorship with the legal and management consultancy Abis Partnership, contrary to the agency's strict rules.
His decision comes as the row grows over a list of 102 private firms which are said to be clients of private investigators who might have engaged in criminal behaviour. The list has been handed to the home affairs select committee, but Soca is refusing to allow the committee's chair, Keith Vaz, to publish it.
Details of five of the firms on the list have been passed to the Metropolitan police detectives working on Operation Tuleta, the investigation into computer hacking.
In nine weeks' time Soca is due to be subsumed into the new National Crime Agency, a process Andrews was to oversee.
Vaz said the agency was a "troubled" organisation that needed to "clear up all outstanding issues as a matter of urgency." He said he would ask whoever took over from Andrews to review the decision to prevent publication of the list of companies.
"Sir Ian was part of the decision-making process that required that the home affairs select committee kept the lists that Soca sent us confidential," he said. "I shall be writing to his successor to ask if he or she will now review this decision."
Andrews said he had failed to register that he was director of Abis Partnership, through which he provides management consultancy services. In his letter of resignation to the home secretary he said it was a "genuine and unintentional oversight" but was "nonetheless inexcuseable".
He said it was a "huge disappointment" as through public service of more than 40 years he had been assiduous about avoiding conflicts of interest.
Andrews' four-year term was due to end on Friday but before his resignation he had agreed to extend his tenure until October, when Soca is absorbed into the NCA.
Last week the home affairs committee revealed that law firms and insurance companies were among those on the Soca list. The list was given to the committee by Soca on the understanding that it was not published.
The MPs are examining claims that companies other than newspaper owners used private investigators to hack and gain information about their business rivals.
The committee has given a sector-by-sector breakdown of those firms or individuals on the Soca list. They include 21 law firms, nine in the insurance sector, one pharmaceutical company, four food service enterprises and an oil firm.
Detectives on Operation Tuleta have been passed five of the names on the list as part of their ongoing investigation into computer hacking and other criminal activity.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said last week: "We are aware of companies and individuals, outside of the media industry, who are suspected of having committed criminal offences and they form part of our live investigation.
"We are not prepared to provide any information that may lead to the identification of any individual or company who may be of interest to that investigation."
Sir Ian Andrews announced his resignation after it emerged he had failed to declare a directorship with the legal and management consultancy Abis Partnership, contrary to the agency's strict rules.
His decision comes as the row grows over a list of 102 private firms which are said to be clients of private investigators who might have engaged in criminal behaviour. The list has been handed to the home affairs select committee, but Soca is refusing to allow the committee's chair, Keith Vaz, to publish it.
Details of five of the firms on the list have been passed to the Metropolitan police detectives working on Operation Tuleta, the investigation into computer hacking.
In nine weeks' time Soca is due to be subsumed into the new National Crime Agency, a process Andrews was to oversee.
Vaz said the agency was a "troubled" organisation that needed to "clear up all outstanding issues as a matter of urgency." He said he would ask whoever took over from Andrews to review the decision to prevent publication of the list of companies.
"Sir Ian was part of the decision-making process that required that the home affairs select committee kept the lists that Soca sent us confidential," he said. "I shall be writing to his successor to ask if he or she will now review this decision."
Andrews said he had failed to register that he was director of Abis Partnership, through which he provides management consultancy services. In his letter of resignation to the home secretary he said it was a "genuine and unintentional oversight" but was "nonetheless inexcuseable".
He said it was a "huge disappointment" as through public service of more than 40 years he had been assiduous about avoiding conflicts of interest.
Andrews' four-year term was due to end on Friday but before his resignation he had agreed to extend his tenure until October, when Soca is absorbed into the NCA.
Last week the home affairs committee revealed that law firms and insurance companies were among those on the Soca list. The list was given to the committee by Soca on the understanding that it was not published.
The MPs are examining claims that companies other than newspaper owners used private investigators to hack and gain information about their business rivals.
The committee has given a sector-by-sector breakdown of those firms or individuals on the Soca list. They include 21 law firms, nine in the insurance sector, one pharmaceutical company, four food service enterprises and an oil firm.
Detectives on Operation Tuleta have been passed five of the names on the list as part of their ongoing investigation into computer hacking and other criminal activity.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said last week: "We are aware of companies and individuals, outside of the media industry, who are suspected of having committed criminal offences and they form part of our live investigation.
"We are not prepared to provide any information that may lead to the identification of any individual or company who may be of interest to that investigation."
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