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News Corp James Murdoch Rebekah Brooks

Rupert Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks agree to appear before House of Commons committee

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By The Drum Team, Editorial

July 12, 2011 | 3 min read

Rupert Murdoch, the News Corporation chairman and chief executive, his son James, and News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks are to appear before MPs on the Commons culture select committee to answer questions about the News of the World phone-hacking furore.

The culture, media and sport select committee, which has twice published critical reports into the affair, had written to the trio of executives inviting them to appear, and News International said today: "We have been made aware of the request from the CMS select committee to interview senior executives and will cooperate. We await the formal invitation."

The committee, chaired by Tory MP John Whittingdale, cannot compel witnesses to appear.

According to The Guardian’s website Murdoch had come under pressure "to give evidence to parliament for the first time in his career."

The website recalls: “Brooks refused to appear before the select committee when it carried out its second inquiry into phone at the News of the World following The Guardian revelations in July 2009 that News International had paid Gordon Taylor and two other hacking victims to drop legal action."

News International recently issued a statement saying Brooks was not aware of any specific payments to police officers by the company.

Labour MP, Paul Farrelly, who sits on the committee, is quoted as saying: "It's been alleged that some of the people who came to see us as witnesses knew full well that hacking was rife on the news desk at the very least."

It is anticipated that the News Corp executives will appear before the committee next Tuesday afternoon - the final day of the current parliament.

Farrelly claimed James Murdoch "had a lot to amplify" following his statement last week, in which he apologised for approving payoffs to Gordon Taylor and other hacking victims and for giving incorrect information to parliament - saying he had not been fully informed about the extent of News of the World phone hacking at the time.

He added: "It was a mea culpa for the organisation which has been a long time coming but it didn't say who knew what and when and who therefore lied to parliament."

Farrelly has explained that the committee would employ rarely used parliamentary powers to summon Brooks if she refused to appear.

It is understood Brooks would have been compelled to attend if a majority of the House of Commons voted in favour of a motion requiring her to do so.

That vote could not realistically take place until parliament reconvenes in the autumn, however.

It was unclear earlier today whether the committee could compel Rupert and James Murdoch to appear because they are foreign nationals.

News Corp James Murdoch Rebekah Brooks

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