“I was delighted to have the first question on the first day back after Recess yesterday afternoon, and to be able to raise with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the issue of the extension of copyright duration and terms affecting sound recordings,” said North Wiltshire MP James Gray this morning.
“In my supplementary question to Andy Burnham, I was able to tell him about the experiences of Pendragon, a band in my constituency whose new DVD, of which they sold some 50 copies, was illegally downloaded some 3000 times. I was disappointed that the Secretary of State could not give me more precise assurance that his Department will be stamping out illegal downloading, in particular by extending copyright to 90 years, and I will certainly keep a close eye on what steps the Government takes in the coming months to help smaller bands and labels like Pendragon, who are so adversely affected by the lack of legislation in place to deal with illegal downloading.”
For further information, please contact James Gray
on mobile number 07831 552 529.

