Minister questioned on changes to copyright law
6 May 2014
The House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee questions Viscount Younger of Leckie, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), about proposed changes to copyright law on Tuesday 6 May.
- Parliament TV: Listen to the evidence session on the proposed changes to copyright law
- Revised oral transcript of evidence taken on 6 May
- Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee
Witness
Tuesday 6 May; Committee Room 3A, Palace of Westminster
At 3.45pm
- Viscount Younger of Leckie, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
- Charlotte Heyes, Deputy Director, Hargreaves Review Implementation
- Robin Stout, Deputy Director, Copyright Policy and Deputy Director
Background
The House of Lords held a debate in Grand Committee on 5 December 2013 about the proposed changes, with which the Government want to update the framework of exceptions to copyright and rights in performances.
In March of this year, the Government laid five sets of Regulations to bring these changes into effect from June. The Regulations have generated a good deal of interest among copyright-holders and users of copyrighted works who would benefit from the exceptions.
Likely questions
- Why the Government have chosen secondary rather than primary legislation to make these changes?
- Why the Government wish to implement the changes from June of this year, given that their own timetable has slipped?
- Whether some of the changes, including the provisions on “fair dealing” and “contract override”, are likely to prompt legal proceedings?
The Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee has now concluded its scrutiny of the Draft Copyright Regulations 2014. No further submissions will be accepted.