Press Recognition Panel: Finance

In 2014, the Ministry of Justice awarded a sum of £3 million to the Press Recognition Panel (PRP). This payment was made on the basis of the Royal Charter on Self-Regulation of the press, which states that the Lord Chancellor (acting on behalf of The Exchequer) will fund the PRP until it becomes effective. This initial funding was exhausted in the 2022-23 financial year. Since then, an annual payment of £430,000 has been made to the PRP, in line with its right to request further reasonable sums in the event that its income is considered to be insufficient, so it is not frustrated by a lack of funding. This was also set out in the Royal Charter. The last of these payments were made in the 2026-27 financial year. As the Ministry of Justice acts on behalf of HM Treasury as a funding conduit, plans for future funding do not fall under the remit of the Department although the Ministry of Justice will continue to fund the PRP if they make further funding requests.