Hertsmere MP James Clappison quizzed police bosses over the News of the World (NoW) hacking scandal yesterday.

He asked Metropolitan police chief Sir Paul Stephenson, who announced his intention to resign on Sunday, why he had 18 lunches and dinners with News International (owners of NoW) staff over a five-year period.

Mr Clappison, who has sat on the Home Affairs select committee for the past eight years, asked why it was necessary and whether or not the same thing happened with other newspaper groups.

Sir Paul Stephenson responded by saying: “Between 2009 and 2010, 70 per cent of my contacts with the press involved News of the World.”

He added: “That sounds like an extraordinary percentage, but I am told they represent 42 per cent of the press readership.

“If I am going to maintain a relationship with the media ... it wasn't my decision and I make no criticism here, but it was not my decision to allow News International to be so dominant in the market but if I am going to talk to the media, and they have 42 per cent of the readership in this country, then who am I going to talk to?”

Mr Clappison also used the opportunity to quiz John Yates, who has resigned from his post as the Met's Assistant Commissioner, about the case of murder victim Daniel Morgan.

Daniel Morgan was found with an axe in his head in a car park in south London in 1987. His business partner Jonathan Rees was charged, but the case collapsed.

It is alleged that investigating police officer David Cook was targeted by News International after Mr Rees, who worked as an investigator for the News of the World between 1993 and 2000, asked them to carry out surveillance on him.

Mr Clappison's 'performance' on the Home Affairs select committee garnered him praise from several people on social networking site Twitter.

@hand_of_lke said: James Clappison has been by far the most probing on the panel...Should have Vas' role...

@joedyke said: Top quality questioning from James Clappison MP on y Stephenson tried to push Guardian into dropping story

@greigforbes said: Deceptively brown nose opening from this guy Clappison followed by decent questions