HOTELS & GUESTHOUSES BREAKING THE LAW

2.16.32pm GMT Tue 9th Mar 2010

Nick Harvey, MP for North Devon, says "While I understand the legal right of licensing bodies to collect public performance fees, I am dismayed at the conflicting advice the tourist industry has been receiving. It now seems hotels and guest houses need three public performance licenses."

Following Nick lobbying the Government for greater clarity, Minister of State for Intellectual Property, David Lammy conceded:

"Confusingly for the user, copyright owners use different collecting societies to licence their various exclusive rights, meaning that more than once licence may be required. So while the Performance Rights Society (PRS) for Music administers rights on behalf of composers, lyricists and music publishers, another collecting society, Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) licences on behalf of record producers and performers. As such, it is likely that both a PRS and PPL license will be required.

"With regard to your point on PRS and the Television Licensing Authority providing information that is not joined up, I agree this can be unhelpful and confusing for licensees. I have asked officials at the Intellectual Property Office to make both organisations aware of the situation and suggest they amend their literature."

Nick concludes, "I am pleased the Government has taken heed of my concerns. Clearly though, on the basis of this numerous hotels and guest houses are likely to be in violation of the law and need to reassess what sort of services they provide their guests."