MPs to publish report into phone hacking abuse

A report by MPs into allegations of phone-hacking at the News of the World is due to be published later.

The cross-party Commons Media Committee questioned journalists and bosses at the now closed paper, as well as police and lawyers for hacking victims.

Its report will consider the role of James Murdoch, who has denied knowing of wrongdoing at the paper, and other former News International executives.

The BBC's James Landale said their conduct was expected to be criticised.

The committee of MPs began its inquiry in July 2011 in the wake of fresh newspaper revelations about the extent of hacking at the tabloid newspaper, with reported victims including the murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler and the families of victims of the 7/7 London bombings.

James Murdoch told the Commons Media Committee last summer that he did not see an e-mail which suggested that hacking was more widespread at the paper than previously acknowledged - a claim disputed by the News of the World's former editor Colin Myler and its former legal manager Tom Crone in their evidence.

Mr Murdoch, who was among those recalled to give evidence, has said he did not know about any wrongdoing but took "his share" of responsibility for not uncovering it earlier.

The Conservative MP who heads the media committee, John Whittingdale, has indicated the report would seek to address the central issue of whether there was a cover-up at the newspaper and whether statements made to the committee by witnesses were correct.

"We have been looking at whether Parliament was misled and who did so if that was the case," he told the BBC's Daily Politics last Thursday.

After initially claiming that malpractice was limited to one "rogue" reporter at the News of the World, News International has now settled dozens of civil cases admitting liability for hacking between 2001 and 2006.

More than 6,000 possible victims have been identified and the police have so far made a number of arrests in connection with an investigation reopened in January 2011 - although no charges have yet been brought.

The hacking revelations led to the closure of the News of the World and the government's decision to set up a judicial inquiry into press standards headed by Lord Leveson.

Appearing before the Leveson inquiry last week, News Corporation chairman Rupert Murdoch said there had been a "cover-up" which "shielded" senior figures at the paper and its parent company - including himself and his son James - from knowledge of wrongdoing taking place.

Among others cross-questioned by MPs during their inquiry included former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks, former NI chairman Les Hinton and former Met Police deputy commissioner John Yates - who decided against opening a new hacking inquiry in 2009.

The committee, which previously investigated hacking as part of a report into press standards in 2010, has said it was unable to publish its latest report before now due to the amount of evidence that emerged during its public hearings.