Newspapers plan to strengthen self-regulation: Measures aim to make Press more accountable and forestall proposals for statutory controls

The newspaper industry yesterday announced a series of measures to strengthen self-regulation in the wake of criticism from the Calcutt Committee and an all-party select committee.

The measures will outlaw the type of snatched photographs that embarrassed the Duchess of York, include a hotline for people to telephone the Press Complaints Commission and, crucially, have a majority of lay rather than press members on the PCC adjudicating on complaints.

Criticism has dwelt on the fact that the press, through a panel of newspaper editors, has adjudicated on itself while recommending that for other professions such as the police, self- regulation should be abandoned.

The changes come about a month before the Government publishes its White Paper on the press and the PCC clearly hopes to show that it has acted to make the press more accountable, and has no need of a statutory Press Complaints Tribunal as recommended by Calcutt, or a Press Ombudsman as advocated by the National Heritage Select Committee.

The new code, which will be translated for major ethnic groups, was announced by the Press Standards Board of Finance following the government inquiry into the newspaper industry by Sir David Calcutt.

The make-up of the Press Complaints Commission will be changed, with an independent chairman, eight non-press members and seven editors - giving it a lay majority. Journalists will be required to identify themselves when they meet the public.

Under regulations governing the use of long lenses, photographs such as those of the Duchess of York privately relaxing in the south of France will no longer be acceptable.

The new helpline will allow people to phone the PCC when they fear the code has been or is about to be breached. The helpline will supply the telephone and fax numbers of the editors involved as well as advice on the best way to complain.

The chairman of the Press Standards Board of Finance, Harry Roche, said the industry had made 'significant progress' in the last two years. It was better that newspapers abided by the code of practice because they believed in and respected it 'than on the basis that they will be fined if they break it', he said.

Other amendments to the code are:

Changes restricting the use of long-range cameras to photograph individuals on private property;

One strict definition of public interest instead of the several currently in the code;

And naming the offender not the offence in cases where jigsaw identification - when different news organisations give certain pieces of information about victims of sex crimes which, when placed together, can lead to identification - could arise.

The PCC welcomed the changes, saying: 'The commission has been impressed by the commitment of the press to self-regulation.' It added: 'The commitment of the industry to self-regulation is further underlined by the welcome inclusion of the code in many journalists' contracts, training manuals, staff handbooks and conditions of service.'

The board of directors of the Observer has unanimously accepted the Guardian's bid for the 202-year-old Sunday title. The last formal hurdle to the take-over will be Michael Heseltine, President of the Board of Trade, but he is expected to approve the deal.