So how would you do it, Stu?

Have every single play, of every single piece of music, everywhere in the country, be logged and recorded, then calculated and paid out?

Just stop and think about it for one moment. Imagine the man hours - it couldn't possibly be done.

Remember, the licence rates are not set by PRS, but by in independent body. They are fair and tested in law.

We do have an issue about 'accidental/incidental' collection of non-member copyright material and public domain material in folk clubs and sessions, but we're working on that - and it's a tiny teeny weeny fraction of the money collected on copyright works, so I for one at least understand why it's not PRS's top priority.

The only solutions are

a) opt-outs for majority non-member/pd events like folk clubs and sessions (working on it), or

b) requiring every song and tune always to be logged and submitted (would you prefer that)? here - borrow my pen.

Most folk-style writers like me don't actually want money from sessions and clubs (certainly not free-entry ones) - but people also sing and play material by people who jolly well do - and they have the power of the law on their side.

Personally I think less than a quid per person (or a few pence if it's a big gathering) to cover the legalities while we try to come up with something better, plus many thousands paid out in recognition of the flaws in the system is anything but disingenuous.

How the money is shared out among members is purely an internal matter. PRS is owned and run by it's members, and the small players like me may get the least money, but numerically we are in a majority. Some of us bother to agitate for improvements, some don't - but the division is down to us, not the public or the government.