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 interest in taking particular actions.
- IPSO operates a pre-publication advice service through which editors can seek confidential guidance on code compliance (IPSO, accessed March 2026).
- This service provides general code compliance advice but is not the formal advisory service specifically focused on public interest considerations that Leveson envisioned.
- No published evidence has been identified of a dedicated advisory service for editors specifically on public interest decisions, as distinct from general code compliance queries.
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted in Part
Response
Accepted in PartThe Prime Minister stated on 29 November 2012 that he accepted "the principles that Lord Justice Leveson has laid out" for independent self-regulation, including "an independent board, a standards code, an arbitration service and the power to demand up-front, prominent apologies and impose million-pound fines." However, he rejected statutory underpinning, expressing "serious concerns and misgivings" about crossing "the Rubicon of writing elements of press regulation into the law of the land." The Royal Charter on Self-Regulation of the Press was granted on 30 October 2013, establishing the Press Recognition Panel as the recognition body. IPSO was established in September 2014 but has not sought Royal Charter recognition. IMPRESS was recognised by the PRP in October 2016. Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/david-cameron-statement-in-response-to-the-leveson-inquiry-report
Published Evidence
Published assessments of progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Source type badge indicates whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
No formal advisory service to editors on public interest decisions has been established by IPSO in the manner Leveson envisioned.
View detailed findings
Not implemented. No formal public interest advisory service exists.