Recommendation L75: Discontinue Off-the-record Term
From An Inquiry into the Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press, published 29 November 2012.
Recommendation
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 to be reported, and the term 'embargoed briefing' should be used to cover a situation where the content of the briefing may be reported but not until a specified event or time. These terms more neutrally describe what are legitimate police and media interactions.
In brief (written by this site)
The Inquiry recommended that police replace off-the-record briefings with non-reportable or embargoed briefings. In May 2024, Lord Sharpe of Epsom, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office, stated that recommendations on the police and the press had been accepted by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) and were all addressed (Lord Sharpe of Epsom, May 2024). In October 2025, the College of Policing updated its media relations guidance, stating: "Avoid the term 'off the record' as the basis for a conversation" (College of Policing, Oct 2025).
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.
About this summary
This recommendation asks for cultural or behavioural change, which is difficult to verify from published sources alone. The record reflects policy commitments rather than measured outcomes.
Government response
The Metropolitan Police Service, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and the College of Policing have implemented or are implementing all of the Inquiry’s recommendations in relation to law enforcement. For example, the College of Policing have published a code of ethics and developed national guidance for police officers on how to engage with the press. Reforms in the Policing and Crime Act 2017 also strengthened protections for whistleblowers.
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
No statement on delivery from National Police Chiefs Council or Police has been found in the sources searched (last checked 24 February 2026). This is separate from the response above.
What other bodies have found
In their own words. These do not change the delivery statement above.
College of Policing (7 October 2025)
Avoid the term ‘off the record’ as the basis for a conversation, as it can create ambiguity over how information is to be used and can risk the perception of inappropriate or confidential information disclosure.
Home Office (23 May 2024)
The Leveson Inquiry made eight recommendations (68 and 75-81) concerning the press and the police, focused on providing greater transparency and openness. These were accepted by the Government, the College of Policing and the then Association of Chief Police Officers (superseded by the National Police Chiefs’ Council). All the recommendations have been addressed.
From: Police: Journalism (written question HL4705)
Site note: The source gives this passage once, for recommendations 68 and 75 to 81 together. The same words are recorded on L68, L75, L76, L77, L78, L79, L80 and L81.
Earlier findings (1)
Home Office (12 February 2013)
ACPO have committed to implement this recommendation and the Home Office will liaise with them to ensure that its delivery addresses the issues identified in Lord Justice Leveson’s report. In the future, the College of Policing will take forward work on issues relating to ethics, values and standards of integrity within the police.
From: Leveson Inquiry Report Recommendations - Home Office Response
Site note: The Home Office's response to each of the Leveson report's recommendations on policing, placed in the House of Commons Library as deposited paper DEP2013-0290. The document is undated; the date is that of the deposit's covering letter and of the Home Secretary's statement announcing it, 12 February 2013.
Site note: The Home Office's table gives the "Policy Owner" of this recommendation as "ACPO/College of Policing", that is ACPO and the College of Policing. The words are the Home Office's response; they report what the policy owner is doing, so the site files them under the Home Office.
Source
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- UK Government
Response - College of Policing
Finding - Home Office
Finding