§ Mr. Alexander W. Lyon118 & 119. asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) why the Minister of State gave an assurance to a private delegation of publishers and authors that Her Majesty's Government would not sign the protocol to the Berne Convention on copyright relating to developing countries;
(2) when he intends to sign the protocol to the Berne Convention on Copyright relating to developing countries which was recently agreed at Stockholm.
§ Mr. J. P. W. MallalieuThere has been no meeting between a Minisetr of State and a delegation of publishers and authors.
At a briefing meeting for the Press, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade made it clear that H.M. Government do not agree with the Protocol to the revised Convention that relates to developing countries. The Government will be considering in due course the question of accession to the Convention itself, which embodies changes affecting British interests.