Alex Salmond under pressure over Leveson response Willie Rennie, the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, called on Mr Salmond to come to parliament and make a statement about "about the potential impact of Leveson's findings in Scotland." "As press regulation is devolved to the Scottish Parliament it is essential MSPs get to grips with all the issues very quickly," he said. If the Prime Minister makes a statement because it's his responsibility to guide legislation, the First Minister must make a statement also. Downing Street has insisted the Prime Minister is keeping an open mind until he sees the report despite claims that he has already ruled out full-blown statutory regulation. However, the Scotland Act 1998, which created devolution, has the effect of transferring responsibility over press regulation to Holyrood because it is not included in a list of powers that are specifically reserved. In written evidence to the inquiry, Mr Salmond said the regulatory system should comprise a "voluntary code" that ensures offenders apologise and offer a "proportionate right of reply" to those they have wronged. But in verbal testimony, he suggested that a statutory system, similar to the Irish Press Council and Press Ombudsman, be adopted to oversee the code. "The ombudsman aspect gives that degree of independence that - I like using the word independence - that perhaps the grouping of editors doesn't convey in a system as well as putting it on a proper basis," he said. Mr Salmond also suggested following Ireland's example by making abidance by the code a partial defence for a newspaper in a defamation action. He said this would provide an "incentive" to follow the rule book. Lord Leveson indicated his support for the plan, saying: "What that does is provide a statutory framework within which the press is independently regulated." It is understood that, unlike the Prime Minister, Mr Salmond will not receive a copy of the report a day early to prepare a response. A Scottish Government spokesperson confirmed "regulation of the print press is a devolved matter" and said it would respond to the inquiry's recommendations in due course.