Brown insists: No minister knew of arrest in advance

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With MPs declaring the arrest was "madness" and a political own goal, the Prime Minster said: "I had no prior knowledge, the Home Secretary had no prior knowledge, I know of no other minister who had any prior knowledge."

Mr Brown said he was told after the event by his permanent secretary. "As I said to him, this is a matter for the police," he added. It then turned out Ms Smith's chief civil servant was given a few minutes' notice.

Permanent secretary Sir David Normington said: "Yesterday, I was informed by the Metropolitan Police at about 1.45pm that a search was about to be conducted."

He said he had called in the police after a spate of leaks and ministers were "only told of the arrest after it had occurred".But immigration minister Phil Woolas told BBC radio: "I had no knowledge. As far as I am aware, no ministers had any knowledge." He added he thought the case was "not straightforward", prompting a Tory to say: "He has let slip that he was briefed after all."

Questions about who knew what and when were flying around Whitehall and Westminster. Senior police sources said that the decision belonged to assistant commissioner Bob Quick, who is running the inquiry.

Acting commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson was involved and briefed Boris Johnson.

At the Commons, Speaker Michael Martin was apparently consulted and the Serjeant at Arms, Jill Pay, was told so that she could arrange access to the MP's office. David Cameron was also told at the last minute.