HL Deb 30 June 1959 vol 217 cc439-40

2.35 p.m.

VISCOUT ELIBANK

My Lords, I beg to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their attention has been drawn to the piracy of British books by firms on the island of Formosa; and whether they can suggest means of putting an end to this illegal and obnoxious practice.]

THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORT-FOLIO (THE EARL OF DUNDEE)

My Lords, I have seen Press reports of pirated copies made in Formosa being sold in Hong Kong. Formosa is not a party to either of the international Copyright Conventions, but pirated copies cap be seized if imported into British Colonies.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, I beg to thank the noble Earl for his Answer. May I take it that everything the Government can possibly do to put an end to this piracy will be done?

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

My Lords, the initiative is with the owners of the copyright. They can apply for the pirated copies either to be prohibited imports or to be seized when they are marketed in any country in the British Commonwealth.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

The noble Earl will, will he not, let it be known that the Government are wholly opposed to this piracy in every shape and form. Will he do that?

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

My Lords, I do not think it would be likely that we should let it be known that we were in favour of piracy. But the noble Viscount's Question asks what means we can suggest for putting an end to it, and the Answer is that the means already exist. The copyright owners can take action in the courts against persons infringing copyrights. They can also request the customs authorities to prohibit the importation of pirated books.

LORD OGMORE

My Lords, as this matter affects British publishers and British authors, could the Government make strong representations to the authorities on Formosa?

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

My Lords, we have no information on the subject, apart from the Press reports to which I have referred; but I think the law as I have described it, if it is used by the people who are injured, ought to be sufficient to protect them.

LORD TAYLOR

My Lords, could the noble Earl say what type of book is being pirated in Formosa?

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

No, my Lords, I could not.

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, would the noble Earl say whether the position will be very much better owing to the Government's excellent new policy of spending £500,000 on subsidising British titles abroad? They will have a financial interest in stopping this piracy, and surely they will take more stringent action with our own money than leaving it to the owners of the copyrights.

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

My Lords, it seems to me the action which can now be taken is sufficiently stringent.

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