The National Association of Press Agencies has largely welcomed the recommendations embodied in the Leveson Report for a new "PressQual" regulation system. NAPA represents more than 70 freelance news and photographic agencies which are major suppliers of stories and pictures to UK national newspapers and other media.


A NAPA spokesman said: "The main recommendations by Lord Justice Leveson strike a good balance between the need to improve regulation while preserving the freedom of the press.

"An independent regulator with the power to fine newspapers up to £1m for breaching a new code of conduct will find favour with the public, and will serve as a real deterrent against unacceptable conduct. No doubt, only in the most exceptional circumstances would large fines be imposed, and we would be keen to establish that working journalists, who make honest mistakes, should not face draconian and disproportionate penalties.

"There is also merit in the proposals for making the new regulator truly independent of government and in barring serving editors from sitting on the board of the new body. Whether such a regulator needs to be underpinned by statute is open to question. NAPA believes that, if publishers respond quickly and positively to the proposals, legal support may be unnecessary.

"Leveson suggests a system of swift arbitration for people who believe they have been wronged by the press. NAPA has, for more than a decade successfully operated a system for arbitration of complaints against its members. We have stopped-short of imposing fines, but NAPA members will be interested to consider the detail of how a new arbitration scheme could work, in conjunction with publishers.

"It is right that the new body should not have power to halt publication of any material since that would fetter and impede the press in carrying-out legitimate investigations and exposing wrongdoing.

"We welcome the idea of a kite mark system for publications that are signed-up to the new regulator and would encourage NAPA members to engage in such a system.

"The call for a whistle-blowing hotline for use by journalists who believe they are being put under pressure to breach the new code of conduct is an interesting one . We are not opposed to it, providing it embodies an equitable system for employers to respond to allegations raised by whistle-blowers.

"We do have some misgivings about the proposal that Ofcom should oversee the work of the new regulator, or act as a backstop regulator for publishers who refuse to sign-up to new body, since it could tend to undermine the authority of the new 'PressQual' regulator."
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