The Labour Party are all set to support the creative industries should they get a third term in government - and we all believe everything the Labour Party said, so that's great. Commitments to the creative sector outlined in the Party's Business Manifesto, published yesterday, include:
- Tougher action to tackle the estimated £4.5 billion a year in intellectual property infringement and theft with new powers (to trading standards officers) to increase fines and recoup losses from copyright pirates and offenders.
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Better access to evidence for victims of fraud and theft - so that enforcement agencies collaborate with the creators and owners of intellectual property to crack down on piracy and illegal copying.
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Reform the Patent Office to create a stronger focus on protecting
British business dealing with IP and in bringing new ideas to market, including creative industry placements for Patent Office officials.
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Extend digital skills by ensuring that by the end of 2006 all schools can offer every pupil access to computers at home.
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Work with the Live Music Forum (chaired by Feargal Sharkey)
to encourage live music performances, and with the music industry in the Music Business Forum to help the British music industry maintain its competitiveness in global markets.
Announcing those pledges, Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt said: "The creative industries make a huge contribution to our economy, as well as to our social and cultural life.
They produce a higher proportion of our total wealth - 8% of
GDP - than anywhere else in the world. The £11.4 billion they contribute to our balance of trade is well ahead of the construction industry, insurance and pensions, and twice that of the pharmaceutical sector. That is why we need to modernise our copyright and intellectual property regimes, so that in a digital age, creators, entrepreneurs and creative industries can invest in ideas and talent knowing that they will get a proper reward for their investment."
Speaking for the music business, EMI boss Eric Nicoli welcomed much of what the Labour Party is pledging, especially the commitments to tightening up copyright and IP law. He told reporters: "Our creative economy is hugely important to Britain - worth almost
£11.5 billion to our balance of trade. With the publication of its Business Manifesto, Labour has demonstrated that it has a serious policy agenda for the United Kingdom's creative industries.
Labour has committed itself to a stronger intellectual property regime and is taking positive steps to ensure that the UK remains a great place for creative and innovative businesses to operate".
Impressive reading of course, but if only they'd put in a line about providing government support to independent media companies providing free online information resources to the music business the election would be in the bag.