Friend At Centre Of Liam Fox Row Quizzed

Liam Fox's friend Adam Werritty is being interviewed by senior officials as part of an investigation into his access to the Defence Secretary.

The meeting is with Cabinet Office staff but is not taking place at the Government department's building.

They will wish to find out about his links to Dr Fox and whether he may have profited from his connections.

It comes a day after details of his meetings with the Cabinet Minister were made public.

Downing Street has said Dr Fox, who is battling to keep his job, made "serious mistakes" over the matter.

He made an embarrassing apology for his judgement to MPs on Monday, but denied any wrongdoing.

Mr Werritty was present during 18 of Dr Fox's overseas visits, Ministry of Defence documents show.

These included five trips to Dubai, including one last December when Mr Werritty was "present in a personal and business capacity" at meetings between the United Arab Emirates government and the British military.

In Tampa last July, Mr Werritty - who was best man at Dr Fox's wedding - attended a "steakhouse" dinner with Afghanistan commander US General John Allen.

They also met during visits to Singapore, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Israel, Washington and Sri Lanka.

An interim inquiry into Dr Fox's behaviour, ordered by the Prime Minister, found he had acted "inappropriately" by allowing his friend to meet officials at the MoD, as well as making officials share details about his official travel arrangements.

Labour said it was "beyond doubt" Dr Fox had breached the ministerial code of conduct by attending a meeting in a Dubai hotel with defence company Cellcrypt arranged by Mr Werritty.

Dr Fox told MPs that Mr Werritty was "never present at regular departmental meetings" and had no access to classified documents.

But he acknowledged he should have been more careful about their contacts.

The Defence Secretary told MPs that, to avoid any "appearance of potential wrongdoing", Mr Werritty will no longer pay private visits to the MoD or meet him during official visits.