Rupert Murdoch claims he only heard about the hacking of Milly Dowler’s phone two weeks ago.

The News Corp boss was answering the Select Committee during the questioning of himself and his son, James Murdoch, over the phone hacking scandal.

“I was shocked appalled and ashamed when I heard about the Milly Dowler case only two weeks ago,” Murdoch Snr said.

News of the World was closed down after it was revelaed that investigators employed by the paper hacked the phone of murdered teenager Milly Dowler and deleted messages, giving her parents false hope that she was alive and hindering the polive investigation.

Earlier in the questioning, Murdoch suggested that News Corp was too large an organistation for its head to be aware of everything that happens within it.

“I need to say something and this is not an excuse. News of the World is one per cent of our company. I employ 53,000 people around the world.'

James Murdoch said that the actions of News of the World has let down the corporation.

“It is a matter of great regret of mine, my father's and everyone at News Corporation. These actions do not live up to the standards our company aspires to everywhere around the world,” James Murdoch said.

“It is our determination both to put things right, make sure these things don't happen again, and to be the company that I know that we have always aspired to be.”

Rupert denied he is ultimately responsible for the scandal at the News of the World, emphasising instead that he was let down by those in positions of influence.