The chairman of the Press Complaints Commission is set to write to an author after he claimed the body refuses to rule on 90 per cent of complaints.

The move by Sir Christopher Meyer comes after holdthefrontpage told the PCC about an Early Day Motion by Colchester MP Bob Russell.

Mr Russell quoted to the House figures from Nick Davies' book Flat Earth News which documents the changing UK newspaper industry.

He told MPs that during the past ten years the PCC had received a total of 28,227 complaints but had refused to consider ruling on 25,457 complaints, with around 90 per cent rejected on technical grounds with no investigation.

The figures quoted in the Early Day Motion have been branded "untrue" by the PCC.

Assistant director Stephen Abell said: "They (the figures) missed a huge amount of work by the PCC, which I am not sure Nick Davies realises.

"The Commission over the course of a year issues around 1,200 rulings. The vast majority of work we do is not published adjudications.

"If somebody complains to us, the matter is fully considered.

"It is absolutely untrue to say the PCC kicks out 90 per cent of complaints."

When a complaint is made, it is either resolved between the publication and complainant with guidance from the PCC, the Commission adjudicates or it makes a ruling.

The first two are always published on the PCC website whereas rulings are generally not.

Stephen said that it was this third type of complaint outcome which caused the discrepancy by not being included in Nick's figures.

He added that information on rulings was easily available via the PCC.

"As far as I am aware, Nick Davies didn't contact the PCC about these figures," he said.

Bob Russell MP told holdthefrontpage he had been contacted by the PCC about his Early Day Motion, but added: "My view is that the PCC is a toothless dog.

"They are there to protect those who they wish to protect and the consumers' views are secondary.

"I am not going to immediately buckle under. I am asking the PCC for a copy of Christopher Meyer's letter."

Author Nick Davies said: "The figures in Flat Earth News are accurate. They come from the PCC's own archive.

"The PCC's failure to stand up for those who have good grounds to complain about misbehaviour by the press is a small scandal. I'm ashamed of them."

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