Police had no warrant - Speaker - News in brief

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Mr Martin told a crowded Commons he "regretted" a "consent form" was signed by Serjeant at Arms Jill Pay for the search. "I did not personally authorise the search," he said.

A warrant will always be required in future for police to search MPs' offices, he added.

However, Mr Martin said there was "no special restriction" on the police searching the Parliamentary precincts and added a joint committee on Parliamentary privilege had said in 1999 that the precincts of the House should not be a haven from the law.

The seizure of material belonging to Mr Green will be referred to a committee of seven senior MPs.

Mr Martin's statement came after a furious political row blew up over the arrest of Mr Green and the searching of his offices in relation to a series of Home Office leaks.

Mr Green said after the statement: "Can I make it absolutely clear that I believe Members of Parliament are not above the law? An MP endangering national security would be a disgrace. An MP exposing embarrassing facts about Home Office policy which ministers are hiding is doing a job in the public interest."

A constitutional law expert, Geoffrey Robertson QC, said the search of Mr Green's Parliamentary office was unlawful and added Scotland Yard could now be sued for substantial damages.

Scotland Yard's acting chief Sir Paul Stephenson has defended his officers' actions, saying detectives in any inquiry, no matter how sensitive, must follow the evidence "without fear or favour".

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is expected to make a statement to the Commons tomorrow regarding Mr Green's arrest.