asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he proposes a revision of the Copyright Act, 1956, in the light of the Berne Convention.

The right hon. Member will appreciate that before we can ratify the most recent text of the Berne Copyright Convention, the Copyright Act, 1956, must be amended. While I believe that opinion in this country is generally in favour of ratifying the convention, the consequences of amending the Copyright Act will require careful consideration before it is decided to proceed with the required legislation.