Evidence on phone hacking given to MPs by News International chairman James Murdoch has been questioned by former News of the World editor Colin Myler and ex-NI legal manager Tom Crone, BBC News reports.
James Murdoch told the Culture, Media and Sport committee he was not "aware" of an email suggesting the practice went wider than a "rogue" News of the World reporter.
In April 2008, he authorised the payment of an out-of-court settlement of more than £600,000 to Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, over the hacking of his phone.He 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.
In their statement, Myler and Crone said: "Just by way of clarification relating to Tuesday's CMS Select Committee hearing, we would like to point out that James Murdoch's recollection of what he was told when agreeing to settle the Gordon Taylor litigation was mistaken.
""In fact, we did inform him of the 'for Neville' email which had been produced to us by Gordon Taylor's lawyers."
The "for Neville" email is said to have implied the News of the World's chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck was also implicated in malpractices.
At the committee hearing on Tuesday, Labour's Tom Watson asked James Murdoch: "When you signed off the Taylor payment, did you see or were you made aware of the full email suggesting hacking was more widespread than had been admitted."
Murdoch replied: "No, I was not aware of that at the time."
BBC News adds that in a statement issued by News International's parent firm News Corporation, James Murdoch said: "I stand by my testimony to the select committee."
- BBC News also reports that a former News of the World executive has been sacked by the Sun over serious misconduct allegations. Features editor Matt Nixson was news editor at the News of the World in 2006 while Andy Coulson was the paper's editor. His sacking is said to be connected to his time at the NoW.
Murdoch:" I didn't hear it, see it, know of it, think about it, act on it, not not think about not thinking about thinking about it, or ask for anything written, printed, video taped or recorded relating to any question raised here by this committee. I'd like to be more helpful and will be infinitely more helpful as soon as we hear anything you need to know. (Mr. Murdoch then thanked his father for " making me rich but not wise." and left.
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