Contempt for Britain?

The report said News Corp executives had shown a contempt for the parliamentary system, singling out ex-News International chief Les Hinton, the News of the World's former top lawyer Tom Crone and the tabloid's last editor Colin Myler for having misled them.

Crone and Myler have contradicted evidence given by James Murdoch about a crucial document pointing to widespread phone-hacking at the company, which they say they showed to him to secure his support for a large pay-off to a hacking victim.

James has also apologised for failing to get to the bottom of the scandal but said he was kept in the dark by staff at the paper.

The committee said it did not have sufficient evidence to judge that matter, but said Murdoch should have asked more questions both then and later.

"Surprising as it may seem that James Murdoch did not ask to see this crucial piece of evidence... his lack of curiosity - but wilful ignorance even - subsequently is more astonishing," it said.

"Even if there were a 'don't ask, don't tell' culture at News International, the whole affair demonstrates huge failings of corporate governance at the company and its parent, News Corporation."

The committee has been investigating the allegations on and off since a single reporter went to jail for the crime in 2007, believing that the practice went far beyond the one "rogue" staffer and questioning a string of executives over what they knew and when.