§ MR. RAMSAY MACDONALD (Leicester)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade why the proposed alterations to the Berne Convention regarding copyright have not been issued in this country by his Department; why, when information on the subject was given, it 750 was in the form of a document printed in French and was accompanied by a request that it should be treated as confidential; whether he is aware that this document was issued as a public document by certain foreign. Governments; and whether any alterations made by the Conference sitting in Berlin will be submitted to this House before being accepted by the Government.
§ MR. CHURCHILLThe proposed amendments to the Berne Convention were communicated to a number of societies and persons interested in the questions to be discussed, and their criticisms were invited and obtained. The proposals were naturally communicated in the form in which they were received from the International Union, but if the hon. Member so desires I will cause a translation to be issued. I was not aware that any foreign Government had actually published the document, and I do not think that such a step is in accordance with the practice generally pursued in the case of the previous Conferences. Any alterations of the existing law in this country to give effect to amendments of the Convention must of necessity be submitted to Parliament in the form of a Bill.
§ MR. COOPER (Southwark, Bermondsey)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the Board of Trade declined to give to persons whose interests would be seriously affected any copy of the document giving the alterations proposed to be made in the articles of the Berne Convention at the Inter-national Copyright Convention at Berlin; whether, after repeated applications, the Board of Trade gave to a limited number of persons a copy of the alterations on the understanding that it should be treated as private and confidential; whether he can state the reason why these English applicants have been given a document drawn up in French; whether the Berne officials on inquiry informed the Board of Trade that they had no objection to the Board of Trade issuing an English translation of the alterations proposed; and, as the Congress is now sitting, will he state where copies of this English translation can be obtained.
§ MR. CHURCHILLPart of this Question is covered by the Answer I have just given to my hon. friend the Member for Leicester. I am not aware that a copy of the proposals has been refused to any person or body directly affected, but if my hon. friend will give me particulars of any case which he has in mind I will give the matter my consideration. The statement as to the International Bureau is not correct. The Bureau informed the Board of Trade that it was not within their competence to prescribe the limits within which the proposals should be made public, but that so far as they were aware on the occasion of the previous Conference the amendments, though known to the parties interested, were not made public in the Press before the Conference assembled.
§ MR. COOPERI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the British delegates to the International Copyright Convention at Berlin will be given the power to decide whether the editions of foreign works lawfully produced shall be destroyed; whether they will be given the power to decide that the period of copyright in Great Britain shall be extended; and whether, if any alteration of the copyright law be agreed upon, any opportunity will be given for discussion before an Order in Council is made.
§ MR. CHURCHILLThe British delegates at the International Copyright Conference at Berlin have no power to bind His Majesty's Government to any amendment of the law of copyright, and it has been explained to the other delegates that any provisional assent which they may give to any proposed amendment or revision of the International Copyright Convention must not be held to imply that Great Britain will be able eventually to adhere and give effect to such alteration. The last part of the Question is covered by my previous Answer to my hon. friend the Member for Leicester.
§ *MR. BYLESMay we then understand that the British law as to copyright cannot be altered without the consent of the House of Commons.
§ MR. CHURCHILLYes, Sir.