Sir GILBERT PARKERI beg to ask the Prime Minister a question, of which I have given him private notice, whether copyright is to be included in the subjects to be discussed by the Imperial Conference; if so, which Government of the Empire is bringing it forward, and whether the question of an All-British Copyright Union will be discussed?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe subject of greater uniformity in the law of copyright is included in the 12th Resolution to be proposed by the Government of New Zealand at the Imperial Conference (see p. 7 of Cd. 5513). The special Conference held 2218 with the representatives of the Dominions last year passed a series of resolutions laying down the principles on which uniformity throughout the Empire may so far as practicable be attained. (See Cd. 5272.)
Sir GILBERT PARKERIn view of the great gravity of this question and of the delicacy of negotiations between the Colonies and this country, will the Government defer the Second Reading of the Copyright Bill until after the Imperial Conference, as has been done in the case of the Declaration of London, which in one sense is not more important than this question is?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo; I think we must get the Second Reading of the Bill; and it will then go to a Committee, when all these subjects can be taken into account.
Sir GILBERT PARKERIs it the intention of the Government to put this Bill into Committee before the Conference meets?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt will go upstairs in the ordinary way.