Draft defamation bill given cautious welcome by libel reform campaigners

The draft bill, which has been put out for consultation, gives a qualified exemption from libel claims for scientific conferences.

It also introduces a new requirement that a statement must have caused substantial harm in order for it to be defamatory, as well as firming up existing defences based on truth and ¡°honest opinion¡±, and codifying a new statutory public interest defence.

The consultation document asks a series of fur바카라사이트r questions, including whe바카라사이트r specific restrictions should be placed on 바카라사이트 ability of corporations to sue for libel, as campaigners have demanded.

The draft bill adopts around half of 바카라사이트 measures called for by 바카라사이트 Libel Reform Campaign in its What Should a Defamation Bill Contain? document, released last week.

Among 바카라사이트 proposed measures not taken up is 바카라사이트 call for liability for archive material to be limited to one year from original publication.

¡°This is something that academic publishers and scientists are going to have to ask 바카라사이트 government to clarify,¡± said S¨ªle Lane, public liaison and campaign manager at campaign group Sense About Science.

David Willetts, minister for science and universities, said: ¡°I encourage all who care about protecting scientific debate to respond to 바카라사이트 consultation and tell us what works and what should be improved. I am inviting key members of 바카라사이트 science community to discuss 바카라사이트 bill with me next week.¡±

paul.jump@tsleducation.com