The British police team investigating phone hacking has been boosted from 45 to 60 officers.Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers said the move came after a significant increase in the workload over the past fortnight. She said there had been a surge of inquiries and requests for assistance from the public and solicitors. Earlier, the Met was accused by MPs of a catalogue of failures in the News of the World phone-hacking inquiry. Meanwhile, News of the World owner News International said it had authorised law firm Harbottle & Lewis to answer any questions from Scotland Yard and the Commons Home Affairs Committee about its work for the company. During Wednesday's House of Commons debate on the phone-hacking scandal, MPs called on News International to publish the full exchanges about e-mails examined by the legal firm. The law firm had said it is being prevented from responding to inaccurate comments made by News International Chairman James Murdoch because the company would not allow it breach its duty of client confidentiality.On the hacking probe known as Operation Wetting, Ms Akers said I have said all along that I would keep the resources under review. After Ms Akers' announcement, Home Affairs Committee Chairman Keith Vaz said this is excellent news. The extra resources will assist to help move things along much more quickly.