Leveson: ‘I’m not discussing my report, I said what I had to say in November’

Lord Leveson rewrote “chunks” of his own report he was not happy with after it had been drafted by tribunal’s barristers.

Answering questions at a House of Lords Committee into the Inquiries Act, 2005, Leveson said however that he had read every word.

“I rewrote myself chunks that I wasn’t happy with.”

ITV News doorstepped Lord Leveson as he approached the Palace of Westminster this morning and asked him whether he was disappointed by the newspaper’s reluctance to accept his Royal Charter plan.

Leveson said: “I am not discussing my report. I’ve said what I wanted to say at length last November and that is all I wanted to say.”

Inside the committee room Leveson admitted he had certain concerns before taking the job of investigating the media.

“For me that meant I was only prepared to be involved on the basis that it was a cross-party appointment. Independent for me means and meant independence from government, independent from parliament and independence subject only to the right of anybody affected to challenge my decisions in the courts.”

He said he was pleased his investigation came in under budget at a cost of £5.4 million.

I'm delighted to say we undershot the budget by a very considerable margin, because we were very conscious about the cost to the public."

Leveson said he could not possibly get involved in the standoff between the press and parliament over proposed regulation.

"It would be absolutely inappropriate for me to come back into the question of my report or regulation of the press.

"I was given a job to do – I was to examine the facts and make recommendations.

"I have done my best, it is for others to decide how to take this forward."

When asked outside the chamber whether he would be answering questions about press regulation at the Culture Committee hearing in the House of Commons tomorrow, he added:
"You will find out tomorrow, won't you?"

Leveson is scheduled to appear at a Commons committee tomorrow although he is not expected to answer any questions on press regulation.

Very real chance Leveson will not answer Select Committee's questions tomorrow, I think. He does not want to be drawn into political debate

— Stig Abell (@StigAbell) October 9, 2013