MPs refer News International chiefs to standards committee

The former News International employees accused of misleading Parliament should face "profound consequences", Culture, Media and Sport Committee chairman John Whittingdale has said.

Mr Whittingdale said that the committee had obtained compelling evidence that former News of the World editor Colin Myler, the paper's former legal manager Tom Crone and former News International chairman Les Hinton had misled MPs as they investigated the phone-hacking scandal.

On 22 May 2012, the Commons unanimously agreed to refer the committee's conclusion to the Standards and Privileges Committee to decide what action to take.

Mr Whittingdale told MPs: "I'm not entirely sure what the consequences are, but there is no question that these are very serious matters."

Labour MP Tom Watson added: "We are united in making sure the three people named receive some sort of parliamentary justice."

Commons Leader Sir George Young backed the motion and said select committees worked only if witnesses told the truth.

"The integrity and effectiveness of the system relies on the truthfulness and completeness of the written and oral evidence submitted," he said.