PCC Ineffective Says Government

Fines of £5,000 will be imposed on newspapers invading individual’s private lives in future, or so it seems according to Governmental response to the Calcutt report published yesterday. Ministers are also backing the QC’s recommendations that the Press Complaints Commission should be reviewed and pulled up for its ineffectiveness.

National Heritage secretary, Peter Brooke says that he is reluctant to introduce a statutory body to regulate press behaviour but he will not rule out the possibility. The Data Protection Act will be examined by the Government to ascertain if it could be useful in protecting the privacy of individuals. The suggestion was made that complaints against the press could be heard in a version of a small claims court, helping to reduce high court costs.

Sir David’s critical overview of the Press Complaints Commission cited cases since its introduction 18 months ago where it failed to meet proposed requirements. The Commission’s handling of press coverage on Andrew Morton’s “Diana: Her True Story” and its role during the David Mellor scandal leading to his resignation, were just two instances used by the QC to point out the PCC’s failings.

Government conclusions on the report will be outlined in full on January 29, along with Labour MP Clive Soley’s presentation of his bill to set up a right-of-reply law.