MUSIC LICENSING FEES

That this House supports the rights of musicians and songwriters to earn a reasonable reward for their creative endeavours; is concerned, however, that the aggressive expansion of music licensing and collection may have a detrimental impact on shops and businesses that are already facing extremely difficult economic conditions; believes that it is especially difficult to justify fees being charged to listen to the radio in workplaces, offices, workshops and other non-domestic premises when radio broadcasters have already paid for the right to broadcast music; and calls on the Government to seek action from both music licensing bodies, PRS for Music and PPL, to cease this excessive double charging for radio listening in workplaces and to postpone the imposition of music licensing fees on the quarter of a million charitable organisations that is due to come into effect on 1 January 2012.