MPs look to VW in Germany for dieselgate explanation

Volkswagen (IOB: 0P6N.IL - news) 's top executives from Germany may be summoned to give evidence to British politicians under a plan being discussed by MPs (BSE: MPSLTD.BO - news) .

One British politician has already written to VW saying the transport committee was "misled" by the company's UK boss.

Members of the Transport Committee took evidence on Monday from Paul Willis, managing director of Volkswagen's UK division.

In a fractious session , Mr Willis denied his company had misled customers and said there were no grounds for any customers to receive compensation.

He said it was wrong to compare the emissions scandal in the United States, where VW has paid a settlement of around £15bn so far, with the situation in Europe.

Mr Willis' testimony drew gasps of surprise and was criticised on the day.

Labour MP Graham Stringer accused Mr Willis of telling "absolute blatant lies" while the transport minister John Hayes said it was "not true" that VW had done everything asked of it by the Department for Transport.

Mr Willis said he had prepared "diligently" for the hearing and answered questions "openly and transparently".

However, his appearance has led to at least one MP writing to VW to complain about being "misled".

In a letter seen by Sky News, Stewart McDonald, the SNP MP for Glasgow South, writes that he is "deeply concerned about the inconsistent evidence" Mr Willis put forward.

In particular, he asks why an internal report, carried out for VW by the law firm Jones Day, has not been made public.

Mr McDonald also queries VW's support for the DfT, despite Mr Willis's assertion that the company has done everything that was asked of it.

"I am extremely concerned that you may have misled members of the Transport Select Committee," writes Mr McDonald.

The letter concludes by describing the session as "extremely disappointing and unacceptable" and says: "It is clear that the answers to the questions that many of us have...are for those much more superior than yourself".

Sky News understands that Mr McDonald is proposing that British MPs on the Transport Committee join their counterparts from Germany in a joint session, in which the senior management of Volkswagen would be called to give evidence.

In particular, they want to hear from the company's chief executive Matthias Mullier, and also from former board member Christine Hohmann-Dennhardt.

She (Munich: SOQ.MU - news) joined the VW board at the end of 2015, filling a newly-created role as head of integrity and legal affairs, but left a year later due to what the company described as "differences in their understanding of responsibilities and future operating structures".