Paul Vickers said: "We welcome this very constructive announcement, the fruit of two months of intensive talks involving the newspaper and magazine industry and all three main political parties.
"All the framework of the new regulatory body is already in place; today’s publication of the proposed Royal Charter and Recognition Criteria is a vital development which means the work of setting it up can begin as soon as the Royal Charter is established. We are convinced this should be done without statute, which would raise dangerous constitutional questions.
"We remain opposed to exemplary damages, which are unnecessary, unjust and against European law, and we have grave reservations about the proposed arrangements for appointments to the Recognition Panel, which appear to prevent anyone with knowledge or experience of the industry at a senior level from becoming members.
"However these are issues which can be addressed over the coming days: the newspaper and magazine industry are determined to have a new, Leveson-recommended regulatory system up and running as soon as possible."
The Newspaper and Magazine Industry Implementation Group is composed of, among others, representatives of the Newspaper Publishers Association, the Newspaper Society, the Scottish Newspaper Society, and the Professional Publishers Association.
And, in a statement released by the Society of Editors, Bob Satchwell, Executive Director, said: “We are studying the Royal Charter proposals carefully because achieving a Leveson-compliant self regulatory system is full of complex practical and legal issues.
“Lord Justice Leveson was at pains to point out that most of the press has been found guilty of nothing, but the tough new regulatory system and the Royal Charter plan are massive changes. To suggest this is a “surrender” to Press pressure simply shows that there are those who seem intent on neutering all of the papers.”
