asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will seek to abolish the powers of the Performing Right Society and substitute other and more equitable methods of paying composers and writers.

No. The Performing Right Society handles the collection and distribution of royalties for composers and writers; an individual could only do this for himself with great difficulty. The society has a large proportion of currently popular music in its repertoire and is therefore in a strong position. Its activities are, however, controlled by the Performing Right Tribunal which determines disputes between the society and users of its music.