Rupert Murdoch is in London – and we're curious to know who at News International signed off more than £1m in settlements

Today, Rupert Murdoch is over at News International's Wapping headquarters, where he was seen having lunch with Rebekah Brooks and senior editors in the sixth-floor canteen. No doubt the conversation was pretty amicable, but on the off chance that the media mogul wants to ask some questions about phone hacking at the News of the World, here's some we had in mind.

The Guardian has already asked News International the same questions, and we will publish any answers we receive. Essentially, though, there are two key questions.

First, who at News International (or indeed at parent company News Corporation) agreed to make settlement payments to Gordon Taylor and Max Clifford to end phone-hacking cases?

More to the point, when they did so, what legal advice did they receive? After all, it would be an incurious board member who agreed to write out a six-figure settlement cheque, but who did not ask why. Was the person authorising the payment told that there were references to the potential involvement of other News of the World reporters in alleged phone hacking? Or is there another reason why six-figure settlements are appropriate?

So here we go.

1. Which directors of News International signed off the reported £700,000 settlement with Gordon Taylor?

2. Which directors of NI signed off the reported £1m settlement with Max Clifford?

3. Who wrote the advice to directors that formed the basis of the two settlements agreed? Was it (head of legal) Tom Crone?

4. Were board members advised when settlements were proposed that there was no new evidence to link any reporter other than Clive Goodman to phone hacking?

5. Was the director or directors of NI who signed off the Gordon Taylor settlement made aware that Taylor's lawyers had evidence that two News of the World journalists were involved in hacking?

6. Have settlements been proposed in any of the other outstanding legal cases and, if so, by which board members?

7. When did the News of the World and News International first realise that there was evidence to suggest that reporters other than Clive Goodman may have been involved in phone hacking?

8. Was the News Corporation board advised as to why settlements in London (Taylor, Clifford) were agreed?

9. Why did James Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks meet David Cameron over the holiday period? Was Andy Coulson's departure discussed?

10 Was News Corp's bid for Sky discussed at that meeting? Were concessions offered to the prime minister at that dinner, such as 'hiving off' Sky News?

11. Will Rupert Murdoch review the phone-hacking evidence that has been revealed by the outstanding civil actions when he is London?

12. When precisely did Rebekah Brooks meet the prime minister? Was it before, or after, News Corp had received Ofcom's conclusions of its 'public interest' inquiry into the News Corp/Sky takeover?