The barristers acting as counsel to the Leveson Inquiry have been paid more than £1m in fees, equating to almost a third of the total costs for the media standards inquiry.

A detailed breakdown of costs published on the Leveson website has revealed that counsel to the inquiry were paid a total of £1,015,700 from mid-June 2011 to 30 June this year.

An additional £222,400 to was paid a further four barristers providing assistance to counsel during the inquiry. Hearings subsequently concluded on 24 July.