§ Sir Alan HaselhurstTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how she plans to take forward the proposals for extension of legal deposit to electronic and other non-profit publications from the British Library, the other legal deposit libraries and the British Film Institute in January 1996; and if she will make a statement.[15563]
§ Mr. SproatThe Government have today published a consultation paper which seeks views on the present arrangements for legal deposit of printed publications with the British Library and the other legal deposit libraries; invites comments on the availability and use of legal deposit material in Northern Ireland; and seeks views on a range of voluntary and statutory options for deposit of electronic publications, sound recordings, films and video recordings, and microform publications. The paper also seeks views on establishing a mechanism for further extension of legal deposit without the need for fresh primary legislation.
The main purpose of legal deposit is to establish as comprehensive an archive as possible of our national published output for use by future generations. As publication technology, and non-print forms of publication, develop the Government regard it as essential that some way is found to ensure that published material in forms other than print is deposited in our national 110W archives. The consultation paper addresses the scope for building on existing voluntary arrangements and extending statutory deposit. Legal deposit imposes a burden on publishers, and it is essential that we consult fully on the issues with the publishing and film industries, as well as with libraries, their users and others with an interest. The consultation paper addresses the circumstances in which published material can be accessed and preserved without infringing publishers' intellectual property rights or damaging their business interests. It also includes a draft assessment of the additional costs which publishers, film producers and film distributors might incur in complying with an extended system of legal deposit.
I have today placed a copy of the consultation paper in the Libraries of the House, and the Government are arranging for copies to be sent to a wide range of bodies and individuals with an interest in legal deposit. Further copies are available, on request, from my Department. The consultation paper seeks responses by 11 April. Anybody wishing to comment on the issues raised in the consultation paper, including the additional burden which extended legal deposit would place on business, should write by that date to my Department. In the light of the responses which we receive, the Government will consider whether to introduce legislation on legal deposit.