Wendi Deng ( L) watches as her husband, News Corp Chief Executive and Chairman Rupert Murdoch, is questioned during a parliamentary committee hearing on phone hacking at Portcullis House in London July 19, 2011. Later, Murdoch was attacked by a protester on Tuesday while giving evidence to a British parliamentary committee at which he defended his son and his company over a scandal that has rocked the British establishment. [Photo/Agencies]

LONDON - News International needs to explain how malpractice happened at the company without News Corp head Rupert Murdoch being told, British media minister Jeremy Hunt said on Wednesday.

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"The question that News International have to answer is why malpractice happened throughout a very important part of their organisation without people like Rupert Murdoch knowing," Hunt told BBC television.

"I am sure he and James Murdoch will want to demonstrate that they have put in place procedures so that that can't really happen again."