Companies and individuals outside of the media industry are being investigated as part of a criminal investigation into hacking, Scotland Yard has confirmed.
However, the Metropolitan Police said it does not "recognise" reports that it holds a list of 200 private detective clients that directly feature in ongoing criminal investigations.
A statement from the police force was released as pressure mounts on the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) and MPs to release the names of hundreds of companies and individuals who may have used rogue private investigators to steal personal information.
However, Scotland Yard said it "will not risk prejudicing future potential prosecutions or compromising our responsibilities as a public authority and data controller by releasing details of individuals or companies where there is no intelligence or evidence that they were associated with the criminal conduct of a private investigator they had employed".
