Digital Technology: Legal Deposit

Derek Wyatt
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether he plans to introduce regulations to permit or require delivery of publications to legal deposit libraries by electronic means under the Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003.

Mr. Bradshaw
The Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003 allows for regulations to be made to widen the existing system of legal deposit to cover non-print publications. We are currently considering the Legal Deposit Advisory Panel's recommendations on the “Collection and Preservation of UK Offline and Microforms Publications” and the “Collection and Preservation of UK Online Publications, free of charge and without access Restrictions”. Policy formulated in response to these recommendations will be published for public consultation in due course. In the event that draft regulations result, they would be subject to affirmative resolution in both Houses.