THE COMMISSION

There are sixteen members on the Press Complaints Commission. (Fifteen currently serve: one place was vacant at the time of the writing of this Review.)

A majority of members on the PCC are lay or "public" members, who are totally unconnected with the work of newspapers and magazines. This majority - which includes the Acting Chairman - ensures that while the PCC is funded by the newspaper and magazine publishing industry, it is demonstrably independent of it.

There are seven newspaper and magazine editors on the Commission. These are senior editors drawn from across the national press, the regional press, from Scotland and from magazines and periodicals.

• Lord Mayhew of Twysden QC
  (former Attorney General);
• Mr David Clementi
  (Deputy Governor of the Bank of England); and
• Sir Harry Roche
  (Chairman of PA News and of Pressbof).

Since the publication of the last Review, there have been a number of changes to the membership of the Press Complaints Commission.

Arzina Bhanji, John McGurk, Dame Ruth Runciman, Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill, Malcolm Starbrook and Russell Twisk have all retired. The Commission is extremely grateful to them for the enormous amount of work they have put into ensuring that self regulation, through the agency of an authoritative PCC, remains strong and effective.

In their place a number of new members have been appointed, whom we warmly welcome. These are: Matti Alderson, Edmund Curran, Mary Francis, Phil Hall, Vivien Hepworth and David Pollington.

The Commission Members

Vivien Hepworth Chairman, Surrey and Sussex Health NHS Trust

Guy Black Director

Alison Hastings Editor, Evening Chronicle (Newcastle)

Paul Dacre Editor-in-Chief, Associated Newspapers; Editor, The Daily Mail

Sir Brian Cubbon GCB Permanent Secretary Ð Home Office (1979-88) and Northern Ireland Office (1976-79)

Dr Arthur Hearnden OBE General Secretary, Independent Schools Council (1985-97); Chairman, Worldwide Volunteering for Young People (1995-2000)

Dominic Lawson Editor, The Sunday Telegraph

David Pollington Editor, The Sunday Post

Neil Wallis Editor, The Sunday People

Matti Alderson Former Director-General, Advertising Standards Authority

Lord Tordoff Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees, House of Lords; Liberal Democrat Chief Whip in the House of Lords (1988-94)

Phil Hall Editorial Director, Hello!

The Rt. Rev John Waine Bishop of Chelmsford (1986-1996); Chairman of the University of Essex Foundation

Mary Francis Director General, Association of British Insurers

Edmund Curran Editor, Belfast Telegraph