32 MP's = UK democracy in action

(so that's 614 who aren't there)

House of Commons 14:46pm 6 April 2010

The Commons debate is now in progress and can be viewed at

http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=6263

Today's debate is expected to continue until 10pm and resume tomorrow, Wednesday, without any committee stage before proceeding to the Wash-Up.

The story so far, which will be updated as and when anything relevant to S43 happens:

• Harriet Harman, for the Government, insisted that the Bill has already had lots of debate and that the "super-affirmative" procedures for statutory instruments (Mandelson's regulations) are quite enough parliamentary oversight.
• The Conservatives have announced opposition to S43 largely because of the impact on photographers.
• The Libdems have announced their intention to introduce amendments to limit orphan rights usage to photographs from before 1950. If they can't get an agreement on such an amendment they will join the Tories and oppose.
• Several MP's have suggested that copyright needs a proper overhaul. If only...
• Some MP's have left the chamber.
• S43 is getting a battering for all the reasons we've banged on about
• S46 has also been mentioned as a Henry VIII'th clause.
• There are now just 13 MP's deciding our future, at 16:08 (clock time 18:20 - seems to be a 2hr delay to the "live" transmission)
• Most enjoyable to see Peter Luff cite Jeremy Nicholl's blog. However Luff left the confusing impression that whilst objecting to the way in which Gov't was steamrollering it through the Commons, he would support it anyhow. With or without S43? We aren't sure.
• Favourite keywords of MP's : disgrace, railroad, rush, unintended consequences, no time. John Redwood : the government's treatment "insults the commons and the public that we represent. This is not a good time to be discussing something this technical, this important, this difficult."
• Barely a mention of Extended Collective Licensing, which is the real sting in the tail of S43.
• Timms cited the BAPLA letter, supported by AOP, NUJ, Getty etc as evidence that the photo industry broadly supports S43. Totally predictable. Totally suicidal.
• Masterful deflection by Timms of a question about whether S46 could enable the DEB to be reshaped by the Secretary of State. Timms answer sounded like No : S46 only allows the amendment of aspects subsidiary to the DEB. So Yes, because the Secretary of State will be able to monkey around with much of the 1988 CD&PA.
• The Bill passed for a brief committee stage tomorrow, Wednesday, followed by a final third reading later this week which will be 'Wash-Up'. The stitch-up continues.