A number of constituents have contacted me about media ownership and the Leveson Inquiry.
I do believe that there is now a new system of independent press self-regulation that protects press freedom whilst offering real redress when mistakes are made.
I am aware that both the industry and the Government agree independent self-regulation of the press is the way forward, and especially that my colleagues in Government believe a Royal Charter is the best way to ensure independent self-regulation operates successfully.
Both the Chair and Board of IPSO have now been appointed. It is not for the Government to judge any proposed self-regulator – that will be a matter for the independent Recognition Panel when a self-regulator applies for recognition.
Recognition will allow newspapers to take advantage of valuable legal incentives that have been provided. I do hope publishers will ultimately decide the most appropriate course of action will be to apply for recognition. If they do not sign up, they will not be able to take advantage of valuable legal incentives set out in the Crime and Courts Act 2013. The Royal Charter states that on the one-year anniversary of Recognition Panel launch, they are required to inform Parliament if there is still no recognised self-regulator.