Rupert Murdoch, and son James Murdoch will be appearing at the Leveson Inquiry into media malpractice this week. Rupert Murdoch is the chairman and chief executive of News Corporation, which owns The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times, and has a 39% stake in satellite broadcaster BSkyB, owner of Sky News.

The two will appear separately, James Murdoch on Tuesday, and his father on Wednesday and Thursday.

Murdoch is likely to be asked whether he knew about allegations that illegal voicemail hacking was not just confined to a lone reporter at the News Of The World, as he has previously said, as well as about claims that he was too close to British politicians. Appearing separately James Murdoch will be unable to help his father answer some of the more difficult questions as he did when they appeared together before the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee in July of last year.

The pair's appearance at the Leveson Inquiry follows James Murdoch's resignation as BSkyB chairman earlier this month after concerns that "past events at News International" threatened to damage the broadcaster's reputation.