Recommendation L51: Repeal Procedural Provisions
From An Inquiry into the Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press, published 29 November 2012.
Recommendation
The procedural provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 with special application to journalism in: (a) section 32(4) and (5) (b) sections 44 to 46 inclusive should be repealed.
In brief (written by this site)
The Inquiry recommended repealing specific procedural provisions for journalism under data protection legislation. In November 2012, Prime Minister David Cameron stated that proposals reducing special data protection treatment for journalists required careful consideration, noting he was "instinctively concerned" about the impact on investigative journalism, though sections 32(4), 32(5), and 44 to 46 are not mentioned in the sources (David Cameron response, Nov 2012; David Cameron, Nov 2012).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 1 Oct 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
In support of this, Lord Justice Leveson makes some important proposals. First, he proposes some changes to the Data Protection Act that would reduce the special treatment that journalists are afforded when dealing with personal data. We must consider this very carefully, particularly the impact that it could have on investigative journalism. Although I have been able to make only preliminary investigations about that proposal since reading the report, I am instinctively concerned about it.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: The Prime Minister's statement to the House of Commons on 29 November 2012, the day the report was published, and his answers to members' questions on it (Official Report, HC Deb vol 554, from col 446). He speaks for the Government; the site files his words under the Prime Minister's Office.
Site note: The Prime Minister speaks of the report's proposed changes to the Data Protection Act together (col 448), without naming a recommendation. The same words are recorded on recommendations 48, 49 and 51, the proposals that would change how journalists are treated under the Act. He states no position on them, so the site records the response as noted.
Blanket government agreement does not establish acceptance or delivery by each addressee. Some response passages cover groups of recommendations.
Scope of the government 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.
Delivery
UK Government states no delivery position (29 November 2012)
From: Leveson Inquiry (House of Commons statement), David Cameron, Prime Minister
Source
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street
Response - UK Government
Delivery statement