Lord Justice Leveson is to appear before MPs for the first time to discuss his report on press regulation and the ensuing impasse over setting up a new industry watchdog – but not before the autumn.
Leveson has accepted an invitation from the Commons culture, media and sport select committee to give evidence as part of its inquiry into the future of the press regulation.
However, he said existing commitments meant he would not be able to appear before parliament's summer recess begins on 18 July. Parliament returns on 2 September.
Leveson was responding to a letter from John Whittingdale, the Conservative MP who chairs the culture select committee.
"Lord Justice Leveson has now received an invitation from the culture, media and sport select committee," a spokeswoman for the committee said on Thursday.
"He has written to the committee chair accepting the invitation but explaining that existing commitments make it impossible for him to attend before July 18.
"Lord Justice Leveson has offered to make arrangements for when parliament returns after the summer recess."
The court of appeal judge has spoken publicly just once since the publication of his report on the future of press regulation on 29 November, giving a speech in Melbourne, Australia titled "Hold the front page: newsgathering in a time of change" in mid-December.
MPs will undoubtedly want to hear Leveson's views on the current standoff between politicians and the industry over setting up a new press regulator.
Last week the Financial Times editor, Lionel Barber, proposed at a culture select committee hearing that Lord Grade, the former BBC and ITV chairman, act as mediator between the two sides.
The three main political parties and Hacked Off, the group campaigning on behalf of victims of press intrusion, have agreed to one version of a new regulator backed by royal charter.
However, most newspaper and magazine publishers are opposed to elements of this plan and are backing a rival royal charter.
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