§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the Government's position with regard to EU directive 92/100 on guaranteeing performers 50 per cent, of the receipts of a recording company when the record is broadcast or used in public; and what reasons underlie the difference in approach between the UK and other member states. [25007]
§ Mr. Ian TaylorDirective 92/100/EEC requires member states to ensure that a single equitable remuneration is paid by users for broadcasting or other communication to the public of sound recordings, and that the remuneration is shared between performers and record producers. It does not specify that performers are to receive a 50 per cent, share of the remuneration. The proposals we have made in the recent consultative draft of regulations to implement the directive aim at flexibility as technical developments increase the ways in which sound recording are communicated to the public, and are intended to ensure that performers receive an equitable 425W share, while leaving the precise amount to be agreed between the parties and determined by the Copyright Tribunal in default of agreement. We are aware that performers are dissatisfied with this approach, and will look carefully at the matter again before submitting the legislation to Parliament. Clearly, however, given the various options open to us under the directive, we will also have to consider the views of users and producers on how the legislation should be framed in the UK.