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Western Morning News
09:00 - 27 February 2003


Ministers yesterday invited key players from the music industry to share their views on how the Licensing Bill should operate. But despite the meeting being billed by the Government as a "summit" to specifically allay fears about the Bill, it emerged that the discussion was in fact part of the Music Industry Forum - a
routine annual event.

The meeting was hosted by Culture Minister Kim Howells, and included writers,
managers, record labels, music teachers and students. The British Academy of
Composers and Songwriters, Youth Music, British Musical Rights, the Music
Managers Forum, the Musicians' Union and the Royal Northern College of
Music were among those represented.

Dr Howells said: "We want live music to flourish in this country. That's our end-
game and the Bill has been drawn up to deliver it. We must make sure the new
licensing system is delivered with common sense on the ground. The music
world has a key role to play in making this happen.

"I believe the Bill strikes the right balance between freedoms and protections. I
am confident we can go on from here to produce supporting guidance that
realises our aim."

But a spokesman for the Musicians' Union said the content of the meeting was
"just more of the same" and offered no new steps forward in the campaign
against the Bill.

Hamish Burchill, a spokesman for the Musicians' Union South West, said: "This
meeting was scheduled months ago and was certainly not the Licensing Bill
summit that the Government billed it as."

Feedback from the meeting will now be made available to a working group
made up of representatives from the music world and local authorities.

This will be included in a report for the Department of Culture Media and Sport
in April.