Tory party backs commercial IP rights

In the debate about copyright law and access to information, the Conservative party has leapt to the defence of the commercial interests of the music and creative industries, writes Tracey Caldwell. The British Library opened the debate at the recent Conservative party conference by calling for a balance between the rights of creators and public interest access to information.

                

British Library chief executive Lynne Brindley told IWR, “There has always been a balance but unless we push this balance there is a danger that laws will be skewed in a commercial direction.”

Conservative spokesman John Whittingdale, chairman of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, says, “ All parties are now much more conscious of Intellectual Property issues.

“As our manufacturing industry was replaced by our service industry which is now going overseas, the focus is on the creative industries – music, electronic games etc - which we are extremely good at, but this requires a framework of law from government.”

He added, “We need to make sure people can get a reward for their efforts yet a large number of people do not understand why copyright matters. The survival of the creative industry depends on copyright.”

He disagreed with the British Library’s recommendation to keep the term of copyright for sound recording as it is and not extend it to 95 years, citing the rights of the musicians and music industry to protect their copyright.

There is concern that the sledgehammer of new copyright laws being brought to bear to protect commercial sectors such as the music industry may have adverse effects on innovation in other areas.

Libraries benefit from “fair dealing” exemptions in copyright law that allow them to offer access to material for private study and research but these rights are being eroded by technologies such as DRM tools preventing access to digital materials that was previously allowed under copyright law. Brindley says “We must push to maintain fair dealing rights for research and educational purposes and to allow creativity in science.”

Whittingdale told IWR that the Conservatives would seek to protect libraries’ rights as well as the commercial interests of the creative sector. “It is important to keep the UK economy protected. However, the scientific community is different in that they have an interest in publishing and sharing their material. The role of the library will be protected and access to research that has traditionally been provided by the library will be protected.”