The All Party Writers Group

The All Party Writers Group (APWG) was established in November 2007.

All party groups allow MPs and Lords from all sides of the political spectrum to keep both Government and Opposition parties informed on specific policy issues, taking on board opinions from both within and outside Parliament.

The APWG’s aims are:

  • To represent the interests of all writers
  • To safeguard their intellectual property rights
  • To ensure they receive a fair level of recognition and reward for their contribution to the economy and society as a whole.

Among the issues it has tackled since it was established, the APWG has:

  • Reviewed government proposals for new copyright exceptions, notably those relating to private copying;
  • Lobbied for the maintenance of PLR payments at current levels
  • Examined the issue of illegal downloading via peer-to-peer file sharing networks
  • Provided journalists with an opportunity to raise concerns over contractual terms and practices with the secretary of state for culture
  • Instigated a Ministerial review of the PLR scheme to encompass digital users

Current work and PLR

Against a Government programme of austerity measures, the All Party Writers’ Group has been in discussion with MPs and writers about the current level of the Public Lending Right (PLR) and of the proposed replacement of its current administrative body in the north of England with an organisation based in London. APWG members expressed concern about the proposal and questioned the level of savings to be made from this. A petition to Parliament against further cuts to PLR in October 2010 was signed by 4750 writers.

Meanwhile, the APWG’s successful campaign to extend current PLR to cover audiobook and ebook loans is now considered unlikely to come into effect before 2013 according to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.
The APWG will be closely monitoring developments concerning the future of PLR and will continue its discussions with Parliamentarians and Government representatives to ensure the voice of the writer is heard.

The APWG is chaired by John Whittingdale MP. He is supported by Rt Hon Denis MacShane MP (Vice-Chair), Jim Dowd MP (Treasurer) and Baroness Rendell of Babergh (Secretary).

For further information on the work of the All Party Writers Group see the APWG website www.allpartywritersgroup.co.uk