The Press Complaints Commission has received a record number of complaints so far this year.

By the end of July, the PCC had dealt with over 2,300 complaints – higher than the number received in the whole of 2000, and 50 per cent up on this time last year, when 2,630 complaints were received in the whole year.

More people are aware that the Commission is there to adjudicate on problems with the press – and although more than 65 per cent did not get the result they were looking for, a recent survey shows that 62 per cent of complainants were happy with the way their complaint was dealt with.

In 66 per cent of cases for the first half of 2003, the Commission either found no breach of the Code or no grounds to pursue an investigation following a suitable remedial offer by the editor concerned.

Director Guy Black said: “The record number of complaints is a welcome sign that our vigorous programme of proactive public information, endorsed in the recent Select Committee report, is paying big dividends – and shows up as false the suggestion that people are bypassing the PCC for other forms of redress.

“And the customer satisfaction survey testifies to the fact that ordinary people get very good value from us when they do complain.”

Questionnaires were sent to the 492 people whose complaints required a decision under the Code, of which 233 were returned: