Parliamentary meeting

The Alliance organised a meeting, hosted by Baroness Neville-Rolfe, a former Minister for Intellectual Property, in Parliament during the morning that brought together interested Parliamentarians from across the political spectrum as well as representatives from the creative and IP-rich sectors. The meeting focused on the key issues facing these sectors  when it comes to promoting and protecting their IP rights including the huge potential of IP-rich businesses to contribute to economic growth and increased exports. Issues around AI and protecting IP in the digital environment were also discussed.

The group heard from the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee Chair, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, the session’s keynote speaker, who offered her views on the potential future work of the Committee:

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“The UK has one of the best IP regimes in the world. The creative industries have completely outstripped the growth of every other sector. They’re worth more than 100 billion to our economy. They are worth more than aerospace, life sciences and automotive industries put together and they’re growing 5x times the rate of the economy.”

 

The session enabled a broad discussion between representatives from across the create and other IP-rich sectors and Parliamentarians, some of whom were learning about these issues for the first time.

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Parliamentary Reception

The day ended with our annual Parliamentary reception, hosted by Pete Wishart MP, and kindly sponsored by DACS and PRS for Music, who are celebrating their 40th and 110th anniversaries this year respectively. Taking place on the terrace of the House of Commons, the reception brought together key members of the IP community including rightsholders, industry representatives, creators, Ministers, government officials and Parliamentarians.

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Attendees heard a keynote speech from the Minister responsible for Intellectual Property (IP), Feryal Clark, who said:

 

"UK businesses invest more than £185 billion a year in knowledge assets, over half of which is protected by IP rights. Highly innovative industries now account for around a quarter of the UK's economic output. And we know that UK researchers who protect IP frequently go on to commercialise their IP through spinouts, licensing deals, and private sector collaboration.

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All the industries at the heart of our new Industrial Strategy have one big thing in common: knowledge assets, including IP, are the golden thread connecting them. So I'm proud to say that the government recognises all IP-rich businesses as having a central role in our mission to kickstart economic growth."

 

In addition, Sir Chris Bryant MP, Minister of State for DCMS and DSIT, spoke on IP and its essentiality to creators:

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“Our goal is a future where creators can fully exercise their rights, monetise their work, and make a sustainable living. We are committed to ensuring that creators are as well-compensated as any other profession.”

 

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Dan Guthrie, Director General of the Alliance for Intellectual Property said:

“It was fantastic to celebrate the power of creativity on British IP Day and to receive the support of so many Parliamentarians. As the Government looks to power the economy, it is vital that the importance of our intellectual property framework is properly recognised and therefore it was great to hear two Ministers support that vision at our reception.”

 

Speaking at the event, Margaret Heffernan, Chair, DACS, said:

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“For 40 years, DACS has been in the business of protecting the intellectual property of artists and creators for three fundamental reasons: firstly, it is essential to help artists be paid for their works, secondly, because for artists to be paid for their works they need to be able to protect their work, and thirdly because without IP protection, the value of their work, and the capacity of others to contribute to the rich arts ecosystem of this country dissipates at an alarming rate. If we want the UK to remain what it is today – a global beacon for inventiveness, originality, and creativity – a strong, fair IP framework is crucial. Not just to protect the glories we already lay claim to, but to ensure that our generation, and generations that come after us, have a great story to tell.”

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Speaking at the event, John Mottram, Chief Strategy, Communications & Public Affairs Officer, PRS for Music, said:

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“This year marks the 110th anniversary of PRS for Music. Much has changed over that time, but what has remained constant is the critical role of intellectual property.

As policymakers grapple with the rapid evolution of AI, it will be essential to safeguard the fundamental principles of copyright to protect the value of human creativity. This will not slow the advancement of AI. It will make it fairer, allowing both the tech and creative industries to thrive.”

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​​​​​​​​​​About the Alliance

The Alliance for Intellectual Property is a unique coalition of 23 organisations representing IP-rich businesses and creators. Our members include representatives of the publishing, image, art, design, retailing, audiovisual, music, toy and games, business software, branded manufactured goods and sport rights sectors. They share a collective interest in ensuring that IP rights are valued in the UK and across the globe, and that a strong legislative and regulatory regime exists to protect them.​

allianceforip.co.uk | @AllianceIP

 

About DACS

​​​​Founded in 1984, DACS is a not-for-profit collective management organisation (CMO), dedicated to championing, protecting, and managing the rights of artists and maximising their royalties. For 40 years, it has managed copyright licensing requests on behalf of its members. Since 2006, DACS has paid out over £126 million in Artist’s Resale Right royalties to artists and their estates, and through its Payback scheme, over £75 million in collective licensing royalties since 1999.​

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DACS also campaigns and advocates for the rights of artists and creators, working with partners across the sector and with government to make sure artists receive fair pay for their work.​                                              

                                             

                                            

Dacs.org.uk | @DACSforArtists

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About PRS for Music

Here for music since 1914, PRS for Music is a world-leading music collective management organisation representing the rights of more than 175,000 talented songwriters, composers and music publishers. Redefining the global standard for music royalties, PRS for Music ensures songwriters and composers are paid whenever their musical compositions and songs are streamed, downloaded, broadcast, performed and played in public. ​

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For 110 years it has grown and protected the rights of the music creator community, paying out royalties with more accuracy, transparency and speed. In 2023, PRS for Music paid out £943.6m in royalties and collected a record £1.08 billion in revenues.

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​PRSforMusic.com | @PRSforMusic

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