Anti-filesharing legislation gets go ahead

12:05 | Wednesday November 18, 2009

The Queen, who introduced around a dozen new Bills including measures to tackle anti-social behaviour, told MPs gathered in the House of Lords that, “My Government will introduce a bill which ensures the communications infrastructure is fit for the digital age and supports future economic growth.”

More details about the Digital Economy Bill, jointly sponsored by the Department of Culture Media and Sport and Lord Mandelson’s Department for Business Innovation and Skills, will be published on Friday, when it is hoped the Government will put more flesh on the bone about how it intends to suspend unlawful P2P filesharers and any recourse to appeal filesharers might have.

BPI Chief Executive Geoff Taylor welcomed the inclusion of the Digital Economy Bill in the Queen’s Speech. Taylor says, “It is good news for fans of British music that Government is now introducing legislation to tackle illegal downloading. The creative sector in the UK needs new measures implemented urgently that address this problem for now and the future if the UK is to lead Europe in giving consumers innovative and high quality digital entertainment.”

PPL chairman and CEO Fran Nevrkla also praised the Government's move to include the Bill in today's speech. He believes the announcement of the Digital Economy Bill is "a step towards a more productive and safer online environment." Nevrkla adds, "It will help the development of the internet as a medium for creators and rightsholders, including performers, to conduct their business fairly and to grow this critical part of the economy. More importantly it will enable talent to flourish whilst maintaining employment opportunities."

Parliament must quickly decide which order Bills will be debated and in which chamber: insiders are suggesting that the Digital Economy Bill might be introduced in the House of Lords but although the Tories and Liberals are broadly supportive of much of it the Government faces a very tight timetable to get it through before the general election next year.