An independent crossbench peer and BBC producer has welcomed new reforms to Britain's libel laws after warning of an increasing threat to journalists and scientists.

At the second reading of the Defamation Bill in the House of Lords yesterday, Viscount Colville of Culross said that "present libel laws are costing respectable media organisations a fortune in their own lawyers fees and exhausting journalistic talent in refuting these claims".

"This must be having a detrimental effect on the number of investigations that can be undertaken," he added.