Public Inquiry

Leveson Inquiry

Status: Completed Chair: Lord Justice Leveson Established: Jul 2011 Report: Nov 2012 Commissioned by: Cabinet Office

The Leveson Inquiry examined the culture, practices and ethics of the British press following the News International phone hacking scandal. Part 1 made 92 recommendations on press regulation, data protection, police-media relations, and media plurality. Many recommendations were not implemented; …

Response breakdown

92 recommendations total

21%

63%

16%

19 (21%) — Accepted

58 (63%) — Accepted in Part

15 (16%) — Not Accepted

Blanket response: PM David Cameron responded to all 92 recommendations with a single statement accepting them "in principle" or "in part". No per-recommendation response was published.

Evidence & impact

AI-generated · 26 Mar 2026

The Leveson Inquiry was established in November 2011 following revelations about phone hacking and other press misconduct. Lord Justice Leveson's report, published on 29 November 2012, made 92 recommendations covering press regulation, data protection, police-press relations, and media plurality.

The government's response was mixed. The Prime Minister stated on 29 November 2012 that he accepted "the principles that Lord Justice Leveson has laid out" for independent self-regulation but rejected statutory underpinning, expressing "serious concerns and misgivings" about crossing "the Rubicon of writing elements of press regulation into the law of the land." Of the 92 recommendations, the government accepted 19 (21%), accepted in principle 58 (63%), and did not accept 15 (16%).

The government's legislative response centred on establishing the Royal Charter on Self-Regulation of the Press (October 2013) and passing the Crime and Courts Act 2013. This created an alternative to Leveson's recommended statutory framework. The Press Recognition Panel was established under the Charter, though no major news publisher has joined a recognised regulator.

Specific reforms that followed include: the Data Protection Act 2018 incorporating some Leveson recommendations, including compensation for distress without pecuniary loss and requiring the ICO to produce a journalism code of practice; the College of Policing publishing guidance on media relations; and continued publication of ministerial transparency data.

However, a key provision - Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013, which would have created costs incentives for joining a recognised regulator - was never commenced and was repealed in 2024. The government stated this was because "this recommendation was contingent on a costs incentive framework that no longer exists."

Published evidence of progress is limited. Records indicate that 77 of the 92 recommendations (84%) remain listed as "Awaiting Action" with no documented evidence of implementation thirteen years after the report's publication.

Reports & milestones

Reports

29 Nov 2012 92 tracked recs An Inquiry into the Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press · Tracked recommendations · PDF

29 Nov 2012 0 tracked recs An Inquiry into the Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press - Volume I · PDF

29 Nov 2012 0 tracked recs An Inquiry into the Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press - Volume II · PDF

29 Nov 2012 0 tracked recs An Inquiry into the Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press - Volume III · PDF

29 Nov 2012 0 tracked recs An Inquiry into the Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press - Volume IV · PDF

Timeline

13 Jul 2011 Inquiry Announced

14 Nov 2011 Inquiry Establish…

29 Nov 2012 Final Report Publ…

Recommendations

92 shown (filtered)

Code	Recommendation	Addressed to	Response
L1	Independent Board Governance An independent self regulatory body should be governed by an independent Board. In order to ensure the independence of the body, the …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L2	Chair Appointment Panel The appointment of the Chair of the Board should be made by an appointment panel. The selection of that panel must itself …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L3	Appointment Panel Composition The appointment panel: (a) should be appointed in an independent, fair and open way; (b) should contain a substantial majority of members …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L4	Board Appointment Independence The appointment of the Board should also be an independent process, and the composition of the Board should include people with relevant …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L5	Board Member Composition The members of the Board should be appointed by the same appointment panel that appoints the Chair, together with the Chair (once …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L6	Funding Settlement Funding for the system should be settled in agreement between the industry and the Board, taking into account the cost of fulfilling …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L7	Standards Code Responsibility The standards code must ultimately be the responsibility of, and adopted by, the Board, advised by a Code Committee which may comprise …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L8	Code Content Requirements The code must take into account the importance of freedom of speech, the interests of the public (including the public interest in …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L9	Internal Governance Processes The Board should require, of those who subscribe, appropriate internal governance processes, transparency on what governance processes they have in place, and …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L10	Complaint Handling Mechanism The Board should require all those who subscribe to have an adequate and speedy complaint handling mechanism; it should encourage those who …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L11	Power to Hear Complaints The Board should have the power to hear and decide on complaints about breach of the standards code by those who subscribe. …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L12	Complaint Decision Responsibility Decisions on complaints should be the ultimate responsibility of the Board, advised by complaints handling officials to whom appropriate delegations may be …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L13	Complaints Committee Composition Serving editors should not be members of any Committee advising the Board on complaints and any such Committee should have a composition …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L14	Free Complaints Process It should continue to be the case that complainants are able to bring complaints free of charge.	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L15	Power to Direct Remedies In relation to complaints, the Board should have the power to direct appropriate remedial action for breach of standards and the publication …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L16	Apology Placement Power The power to direct the nature, extent and placement of apologies should lie with the Board.	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L17	No Prior Restraint Power The Board should not have the power to prevent publication of any material, by anyone, at any time although (in its discretion) …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L18	Investigation Powers The Board, being an independent self-regulatory body, should have authority to examine issues on its own initiative and have sufficient powers to …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L19	Financial Sanctions Power The Board should have the power to impose appropriate and proportionate sanctions, (including financial sanctions up to 1% of turnover with a …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L20	Compliance Record Keeping The Board should have both the power and a duty to ensure that all breaches of the standards code that it considers …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L21	Annual Report Requirements The Board should publish an Annual Report identifying: (a) the body's subscribers, identifying any significant changes in subscriber numbers; (b) the number …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L22	Arbitration Service The Board should provide an arbitral process in relation to civil legal claims against subscribers, drawing on independent legal experts of high …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L23	Coverage of News Publishers A new system of regulation should not be considered sufficiently effective if it does not cover all significant news publishers.	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L24	Open Membership Terms The membership of a regulatory body should be open to all publishers on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms, including making membership potentially …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L25	ICO and Regulatory Membership In any reconsideration of the powers of the Information Commissioner (or replacement body), power should be given to that body to determine …	Information Commissioner	Not Accepted	View →
L26	Arbitration and Costs It should be open any subscriber to a recognised regulatory body to rely on the fact of such membership and on the …	UK Government	Not Accepted	View →
L27	Legislative Recognition Requirements In order to meet the public concern that the organisation by the press of its regulation is by a body which is …	UK Government	Accepted in Part	View →
L28	Recognition Body Role The responsibility for recognition and certification of a regulator shall rest with a recognition body. In its capacity as the recognition body, …	UK Government	Accepted in Part	View →
L29	Recognition Requirements The requirements for recognition should be those set out the recommendations set out above numbered 1 to 24 inclusive and more fully …	UK Government	Accepted in Part	View →
L30	Periodic Review of Regulator The operation of any certified body should be reviewed by the recognition body after two years and thereafter at three yearly intervals.	UK Government	Accepted in Part	View →
L31	Ofcom as Recognition Body The role of recognition body, that is to say, to recognise and certify that any particular body satisfies (and, on review, continues …	Ofcom	Accepted in Part	View →
L32	Multiple Regulatory Bodies It should be possible for the recognition body to recognise more than one regulatory body, should more than one seek recognition and …	UK Government	Accepted in Part	View →
L33	Duty to Protect Press Freedom In passing legislation to identify the legitimate requirements to be met by an independent regulator organised by the press, and to provide …	UK Government	Accepted in Part	View →
L34	Compliance Reports and Senior Responsibility In addition to Recommendation 10 above, a new regulatory body should consider requiring: (a) that newspapers publish compliance reports in their own …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L35	Kite Mark for Trusted Journalism A new regulatory body should consider establishing a kite mark for use by members to establish a recognised brand of trusted journalism.	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L36	Code Review with Public Consultation A regulatory body should consider engaging in an early thorough review of the Code (on which the public should be engaged and …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L37	Pre-litigation Complaints A regulatory body should be prepared to allow a complaint to be brought prior to commencing legal proceedings if so advised. Challenges …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L38	Discriminatory Reporting Powers In conjunction with Recommendation 11 above, consideration should also be given to Code amendments which, while fully protecting freedom of speech and …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L39	Ring-fenced Enforcement Fund A new regulatory body should establish a ring-fenced enforcement fund, into which receipts from fines could be paid, for the purpose of …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L40	Public Advice and Warning Service A new regulatory body should continue to provide advice to the public in relation to issues concerning the press and the Code …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L41	Strict Accountability for Published Material A new regulatory body should make it clear that newspapers will be held strictly accountable, under their standards code, for any material …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L42	Public Interest Guidance A regulatory body should provide guidance on the interpretation of the public interest that justifies what would otherwise constitute a breach of …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L43	Public Interest Record Keeping A new regulatory body should consider being explicit that where a public interest justification is to be relied upon, a record should …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L44	Advisory Service on Public Interest A new regulatory body should consider whether it might provide an advisory service to editors in relation to consideration of the public …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L45	Source Transparency A new regulatory body should consider encouraging the press to be as transparent as possible in relation to the sources used for …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L46	Whistleblowing Hotline A regulatory body should establish a whistleblowing hotline for those who feel that they are being asked to do things which are …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L47	Journalist Contract Protection The industry generally and a regulatory body in particular should consider requiring its members to include in the employment or service contracts …	Press	Accepted in Part	View →
L48	Section 32 DPA Amendment The exemption in section 32 of the Data Protection Act 1998 should be amended so as to make it available only where: …	UK Government	Not Accepted	View →
L49	Narrow Section 32 Exemption Scope The exemption in section 32 of the Data Protection Act 1998 should be narrowed in scope, so that it no longer allows, …	UK Government	Not Accepted	View →
L50	Compensation for Distress It should be made clear that the right to compensation for distress conferred by section 13 of the Data Protection Act 1998 …	UK Government	Accepted	View →
L51	Repeal Procedural Provisions The procedural provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 with special application to journalism in: (a) section 32(4) and (5) (b) sections …	UK Government	Not Accepted	View →
L52	ICO Balance of Public Interest In conjunction with the repeal of those procedural provisions, consideration should be given to the desirability of including in the Data Protection …	UK Government	Accepted in Part	View →
L53	ICO Regard for Regulatory Membership Specific provision should be made to the effect that, in considering the exercise of any of its powers in relation to the …	UK Government	Not Accepted	View →
L54	Bring into Force Section 55 Penalties The necessary steps should be taken to bring into force the amendments made to section 55 of the Data Protection Act 1998 …	UK Government	Not Accepted	View →
L55	ICO Prosecution Powers Extension The prosecution powers of the Information Commissioner should be extended to include any offence which also constitutes a breach of the data …	UK Government	Not Accepted	View →
L56	ICO Consult with CPS A new duty should be introduced (whether formal or informal) for the Information Commissioner's Office to consult with the Crown Prosecution Service …	UK Government	Accepted in Part	View →
L57	Reconstitute ICO as Commission The opportunity should be taken to consider amending the Data Protection Act 1998 formally to reconstitute the Information Commissioner's Office as an …	UK Government	Not Accepted	View →
L58	ICO Policy on Press Regulation The Information Commissioner's Office should take immediate steps to prepare, adopt and publish a policy on the exercise of its formal regulatory …	Information Commissioner	Accepted in Part	View →
L59	ICO Good Practice Guidelines In discharge of its functions and duties to promote good practice in areas of public concern, the Information Commissioner's Office should take …	Information Commissioner	Accepted in Part	View →
L60	ICO Public Guidance The Information Commissioner's Office should take steps to prepare and issue guidance to the public on their individual rights in relation to …	Information Commissioner	Accepted in Part	View →
L61	ICO Advice for Data Subjects In particular, the Information Commissioner's Office should take immediate steps to publish advice aimed at individuals (data subjects) concerned that their data …	Information Commissioner	Accepted in Part	View →
L62	ICO Annual Report on Press The Information Commissioner's Office, in the Annual Report to Parliament which it is required to make by virtue of section 52(1) of …	Information Commissioner	Accepted in Part	View →
L63	ICO Adopt DPP Guidelines The Information Commissioner's Office should immediately adopt the Guidelines for Prosecutors on assessing the public interest in cases affecting the media, issued …	Information Commissioner	Accepted in Part	View →
L64	ICO Engage with Metropolitan Police The Information Commissioner's Office should take immediate steps to engage with the Metropolitan Police on the preparation of a long-term strategy in …	Information Commissioner	Accepted in Part	View →
L65	ICO Specialist Knowledge Review The Information Commissioner's Office should take the opportunity to review the availability to it of specialist legal and practical knowledge of the …	Information Commissioner	Accepted in Part	View →
L66	ICO Organisation Review The Information Commissioner's Office should take the opportunity to review its organisation and decision-making processes to ensure that large-scale issues, with both …	Information Commissioner	Accepted in Part	View →
L67	Sentencing Guidelines for Data Offences On the basis that the provisions of s77-78 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 are brought into effect, so that …	UK Government	Not Accepted	View →
L68	PACE Amendments Consideration The Home Office should consider and, if necessary, consult upon: (a) whether paragraph 2(b) of Schedule 1 to the Police and Criminal …	UK Government	Not Accepted	View →
L69	Review of Damages for Media Torts There should be a review of damages generally available for breach of data protection, privacy, breach of confidence or any other media-related …	UK Government	Accepted in Part	View →
L70	Civil Justice Council Damages Review The Civil Justice Council should consider the level of damages in privacy, breach of confidence and data protection cases, being prepared to …	UK Government	Not Accepted	View →
L71	Aggravated and Exemplary Damages The Report of the Law Commission on Aggravated, Exemplary and Restitutionary Damages should be adopted in relation to its recommendations that legislation …	UK Government	Not Accepted	View →
L72	Exemplary Damages for Media Torts Exemplary damages (whether so described or renamed as punitive damages) should be available for actions for breach of privacy, breach of confidence …	UK Government	Accepted	View →
L73	Civil Procedure Rules on Costs The Civil Procedure Rules should be amended to require the court, when considering the appropriate order for costs at the conclusion of …	UK Government	Not Accepted	View →
L74	Qualified One Way Costs Shifting In the absence of the provision of an approved mechanism for dispute resolution, available through an independent regulator without cost to the …	UK Government	Not Accepted	View →
L75	Discontinue Off-the-record Term The term 'off-the-record briefing' should be discontinued. The term 'non-reportable briefing' should be used to cover a background briefing which is not …	National Police Chiefs Council Police	Accepted	View →
L76	ACPO Media Contact Recording It should be mandatory for ACPO rank officers to record all of their contact with the media, and for that record to …	Police National Police Chiefs Council	Accepted	View →
L77	Police Media Contact Rule The simple rule included within the 'Interim ACPO Guidance for Relationships with the Media' should be adopted as good practice. This is: …	National Police Chiefs Council Police	Accepted	View →
L78	PNC Access Auditing The Police Service should re-examine the rigour of the auditing process and the frequency of the conduct of audits in relation to …	Police National Police Chiefs Council	Accepted	View →
L79	ACPO Guidance on Hospitality The recent ACPO Guidance should more specifically spell out the dangers of consuming alcohol in a setting of casual hospitality (without necessarily …	Police National Police Chiefs Council	Accepted	View →
L80	ACPO Post-employment Restrictions Consideration should be given to the terms upon which ACPO rank officers are appointed and, in particular, whether these terms should include …	National Police Chiefs Council Police	Accepted	View →
L81	Enhanced Whistleblower Protection An enhanced system for protection of whistleblowers and for providing assistance for the Police Service on general ethical issues should at least …	National Police Chiefs Council Police	Accepted	View →
L82	Party Policy on Press Relations As a first step, political leaders should reflect constructively on the merits of publishing on behalf of their party a statement setting …	Politicians	Accepted in Part	View →
L83	Disclosure of Media Contacts Party Leaders, Ministers and Front Bench Opposition spokesmen should consider publishing: (a) the simple fact of long term relationships with media proprietors, …	Politicians	Accepted	View →
L84	Immediate Transparency Need The suggestions that I have made in the direction of greater transparency about meetings and contacts should be considered not just as …	Politicians	Accepted	View →
L85	Plurality Focus on News The particular public policy goals of ensuring that citizens are informed and preventing too much influence in any one pair of hands …	UK Government	Accepted	View →
L86	Include Online in Plurality Online publication should be included in any market assessment for consideration of plurality.	UK Government	Accepted	View →
L87	Plurality Measurement Framework Ofcom and the Government should work, with the industry, on the measurement framework, in order to achieve as great a measure of …	Ofcom	Accepted	View →
L88	Plurality Thresholds Lower Than Competition The levels of influence that would give rise to concerns in relation to plurality must be lower, and probably considerably lower, than …	UK Government	Accepted	View →
L89	Full Menu of Plurality Remedies Ofcom has presented the Inquiry and the Government with a full menu of potential remedies, and it has not been argued or …	Ofcom	Accepted	View →
L90	Periodic Plurality Reviews The Government should consider whether periodic plurality reviews or an extension to the public interest test within the markets regime in competition …	UK Government	Accepted	View →
L91	Media Merger Referral Consultation Before making a decision to refer a media merger to the competition authorities on public interest grounds, the Secretary of State should …	UK Government	Accepted	View →
L92	Secretary of State Media Merger Decisions The Secretary of State should remain responsible for public interest decisions in relation to media mergers. The Secretary of State should be …	UK Government	Accepted	View →

Parliamentary activity

81 mentions since Apr 2016

6 debates 63 questions 8 statements

01 Jun 2026 Written Question Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press Inquiry
Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat)

05 Jan 2026 Written Question Press
Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat)

05 Jan 2026 Written Question Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press Inquiry
Catherine West (Labour)

15 Dec 2025 Early Day Motion Right to trial by jury
Kim Johnson (Labour)

30 Jun 2025 Written Question Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press Inquiry
Cat Eccles (Labour)

View all 81 mentions →