§ Mr. Shersbyasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will estimate the revenue lost to the British phonographic industry by illegal home taping of radio broadcasts during the year ended 31 December 1980 or for the latest 12-month period for which estimates are available.
§ Mr. EyreThe effect of illegal home taping of broadcasts on the sales of sound recordings is considered12W in detail in chapter 3 of the Green Paper published in July—Reform of the Law relating to Copyright, Designs and Performers' Protection—A Consultative Document: Cmnd. 8302. The conclusion reached in the paper is that the sales lost as a direct consequence of private copying cannot be precisely quantified. Nevertheless, the paper invites public comment on the whole question of home taping and doubtless the extent of this loss will be one of the matters on which further comment will be submitted.