HC Deb 11 February 1988 vol 127 cc305-6W
Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any proposals for changing Crown copyright.

Mr. Butcher

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Bill currently in another place will repeal the Copyright Act 1956 and replace it with a fresh statement of the law of copyright. Clause 151 sets out the provisions relating to Crown copyright. The most significant changes to the existing law are that the Crown's entitlement to copyright in works first published by the Crown will be repealed and the indefinite duration of copyright in unpublished Crown copyright works will be limited to 125 years.