MPs held back in an inquiry into phone-hacking allegations for fear that their own private lives could be targeted, a former MP has claimed.
The allegation was made by Adam Price, a former member of the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee, who stood down as a Plaid Cymru MP in May.
He told Channel Four News they decided not to force bosses of the News of the World newspaper to attend hearings.
The chairman of the committee has rejected Mr Price's claim.
John Whittingdale told the BBC there was no truth that the committee "backed off or were soft" on senior managers at the New of the World's owners, News International (NI).
"I entirely reject any suggestion that the committee backed off or were soft on News International [the publishers of the News of the World]," he said.
Mr Whittingdale added that while the issue of possible "repercussions for members' personal lives" was discussed by the committee, it had no ultimate bearing.
Mr Price's comments follow a decision by the House of Commons Standards and Privileges Committee to launch a fresh inquiry into the unauthorised hacking of mobile phones.
The committee will probe new claims - published in the New York Times - that the then editor of the News of the World, Andy Coulson, "actively encouraged" his journalists to hack into the mobile phone voice mail messages of public figures.
Mr Coulson who is now head of communications at Downing Street, has denied the allegations.
Metropolitian Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates has said he might talk to Mr Coulson, but only after interviewing a former News of the World reporter who made the allegations in the New York Times.
'Stand firm'
Mr Price said it was "regrettable" that the culture committee had not been tougher last year. He said it had been wrong not to force News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks to attend a hearing.
He added that he hoped the standards committee would "stand firm where we didn't".
Mr Price said the culture committee should have used "the nuclear option" and forced Mrs Brooks to attend.
Under parliamentary rules, MPs can compel witnesses to attend committee hearings - but they have rarely exercised that power.
"We decided not to," said Mr Price. "I think to some extent because of what I was told at the time by a senior Conservative member of the committee, who I know was in direct contact with NI execs, that if we went for her, called her back, subpoenaed her, they would go for us."
He added: "Which meant effectively that they would delve into our personal lives in order to punish them, and I think that's part of the reason we didn't do it."
Mr Whittingdale said the committee had questioned five other senior News International executives and the reason they did not pursue Rebecca Brookes was that she was not employed by the News of the World at the relevant time.
A News International spokesman said that three of its executives appeared before the culture committee, and that "the company co-operated extensively with its investigations".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11268268
Wade's so insane she'd probably have dropped everyone in it, so I'm a bit p1ssed off there...
And let's see that senior Con named please
