Re: legislation in the UK

["Kenneth Hawkins" <ken.hawkins@xxxxxxxx>]

>>> It looks like MPs are now updating laws in the UK about sex offenses, but
no one has mentioned the process that has caused Pete so many problems: police
leak, tabloid hounding, story balloons out of proportion and ruins the
reputation of the victim.  Does anybody have an opinion on how the UK laws
might be changed to prevent this happening?  Equal time in the press
provision?<<<

Don't know whether this parliament committee has followed up, but this
Observer story from Dec. cites a development that would clearly be relevant to
Pete's case.  Note also that the UK has an official Press Complaints
Commission.

Ken in MD

Privacy law inquiry looks into Blairs' treatment

Anne Perkins
Friday December 20, 2002
The Guardian

Press treatment of Cherie Blair's involvement with a conman and revelations
about Euan Blair's application to university could be investigated by MPs in a
new inquiry into whether a statutory law of privacy is needed.
The cross-party culture, media and sport committee said yesterday that its
first inquiry of the new year will be press intrusion into the lives of
private individuals "who nonetheless have found themselves to be the focus of
media attention for one reason or another".
The MPs want to hear from people who consider themselves victims of media
intrusion. They want to know about the actions of the press, and how easy it
was to seek redress.
The press complaints commission as well as the broadcasting standards
commission and the BBC's internal system of handling complaints of intrusion
will also be investigated.
The committee will also look at the impact of the Human Rights Act on the
development of a law of privacy.
The committee will examine the case for privacy laws and a statutory ombudsman
to replace the PCC in dealing with complaints against newspapers.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/media/story/0,12123,863471,00.html