Consultation outcome

Consultation on the Leveson Inquiry and its implementation

From:: Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, Home Office, The Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP and The Rt Hon Amber Rudd
Published: 1 November 2016
Last updated: 1 March 2018 — See all updates

Read the full outcome

Government Response to the Consultation on the Leveson Inquiry and its Implementation

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DCMS and Home Office Correspondence with Sir Brian Leveson

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Detail of outcome

The government’s consultation on whether to commence or repeal section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013, and whether to continue with Part 2 of the Leveson Inquiry or terminate the Inquiry without undertaking Part 2.

The consultation ran from 1 November 2016 to 5pm on 10 January 2017.

This document provides a summary of the responses to the consultation paper on the Leveson Inquiry and its implementation, published by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Home Office, and outlines the government’s conclusions and next steps.

174,730 direct responses to the consultation were received along with a number of petitions. Having considered both of these, and following formal consultation Sir Brian Leveson as the Chair of the Leveson Inquiry, the government has decided to:

repeal section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013 at the first appropriate opportunity, without commencing it first
end the Leveson Inquiry without undertaking Part 2

We are also publishing the correspondence between the government and Sir Brian Leveson concerning the future of the Inquiry.

Original consultation

Consultation description

Purpose of this consultation

The government is seeking views on:

Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013; and
Part 2 of the Leveson Inquiry.

Who this consultation is aimed at

We welcome comments from individuals and organisations who have an interest in press self-regulation, including the press, the public, campaigners, representative organisations, self-regulators and professionals advising in this field.

Why we are publishing this consultation

The previous Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport announced in October 2015 that he was not minded to commence section 40 at that particular time. The government has received various representations from interested parties since then and this consultation seeks to better understand the different views being offered and ensure we are engaging with the widest possible audience as we consider next steps.

As the last of the relevant criminal cases associated with the subject matter of the Leveson Inquiry is entering its final stages, it is an appropriate time to seek views on Part 2 and consider whether it is still appropriate, proportionate and in the public interest.

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