THE Metropolitan Police has been asked to investigate fresh claims that a health watchdog 'buried the truth' about failings in the maternity unit at Furness General Hospital (FGH).

The latest allegation to emerge in the past 24 hours is that the Care Quality Commission could not produce emails when asked by those preparing a damning independent report published last month.

A health select committee is currently investigating the initial cover-up claims and today heard from one of those involved in preparing the Grant Thornton report.

John Woodcock, the Furness MP, has now written to the Met Commissioner requesting that police widen their investigation.

He wants them to include the latest allegation of a 'cover-up' at the Commission.

The independent watchdog was rocked by the Grant Thornton report after it pinpointed failures in how the Commission investigated problems at the maternity unit at Barrow's Furness General - operated by the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Trust (UHMBT).

The report led to accusations that senior figures in the Commission were involved in a 'cover up' to conceal a report critical of its performance.

However, this allegation was denied by both the CQC and its former chief executive.

It is now led by a new chief executive David Behan and chairman David Prior, who have said they are determined it addresses the issues and learns from past mistakes.

John Woodcock MP said: “If the health watchdog gave false information to the independent inquiry that prevented damning emails coming to light, those responsible could be criminally liable.

“The new managers at the CQC say they want to be more open but this latest scandal happened on their watch - they have serious questions to answer.”

Mr Woodcock has written to Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe.

His letter read: “ I am writing following today’s evidence session to the House of Commons health select committee, at which David Prior and David Behan, chair and chief executive of the Care Quality Commission, were witnesses, alongside Sterl Greenhalgh of the independent auditors Grant Thornton.

“A transcript of the evidence would be available in due course from the committee. Questioning of the witnesses largely related to the possibility of a cover-up by the CQC of its own failings in inspecting the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, including Furness General Hospital, which is in my constituency and saw a number of deaths of babies at its maternity unit.

"I understand that the matters relating to a possible cover-up are currently being investigated by your force in conjunction with the Cumbria constabulary.

“I believe that the evidence given today to the select committee needs to be included in the investigation and there is a possibility that further potential offences have been identified.

"In particular, the failure of the CQC to produce for the Grant Thornton inquiry the email referred to by committee member Charlotte Leslie MP which suggested that the commission was indeed aware of systemic failings at the Trust is, I believe, a very serious matter."

Neither UHMBT or the Care Quality Commission have commented on the latest claims.