22 Jul 2011

Testimony by James Murdoch queried

1:40 pm on 22 July 2011

Evidence on phone hacking given to MPs by News International chairman James Murdoch has been called into question by two former executives at the company.

Mr Murdoch told a select committee at the House of Commons on Tuesday he had not been ''aware'' of an email suggesting the practice went wider than a ''rogue'' News of the World reporter.

But ex-News of the World editor Colin Myler and ex-News International legal manager Tom Crone have now said they ''did inform'' him of the email.

Mr Murdoch later said he ''stands by his testimony''.

In April 2008, Mr Murdoch authorised the payment of an out-of-court settlement of more than £600,000 to Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor over the hacking of his phone.

He has said at the time he did not know the full extent of hacking that may have been going on at the News of the World.

But the BBC reports the email in question was marked ''for Neville'' and is said to have implied News of the World chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck was also implicated in malpractices.

Commons culture, media and sport committee chairman John Whittingdale says the committee will ask Mr Murdoch to clarify what he said on the matter as part of a written response containing additional information that he has already promised to provide.

In a statement issued by News Corporation, Mr Murdoch said: ''I stand by my testimony to the select committee.''

News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were both jailed for hacking into phones of the royal household in 2007.