Explanatory note

This Order brings into force on 18th December 1991 variations to the Public Lending Right Scheme 1982.

The Appendix to the Order sets out the variations which are principally to the provisions relating to the persons who are to be treated as authors and to the eligibility of books under the Scheme.

Editors and compilers are to be treated as authors even where they have not contributed 10 pages of text or 10 per cent of the book as formerly required if they are entitled to a royalty payment in respect of the book (paragraph 1(a)).

The rules as to the evidence to be submitted to show that a person is an author are extended. A writer, translator, editor or compiler or illustrator of a book who is not mentioned on the title page but receives a royalty payment from a book’s publishers is to be treated as an author. Such a person is also to be treated as an author in respect of books which do not have a title page, if the person is named elsewhere in the book and his contribution would in the Registrar’s view have merited such a credit on the title page, or if he receives a royalty payment. Finally, if such a person is unable to prove his authorship under any of these rules a statement signed by all his co-authors who can so prove their authorship that he should be treated as an author will be accepted as evidence by the Registrar where he considers it appropriate to do so (paragraph 1(b)). There is a consequential amendment amendeing the information to be supplied to the Registrar on the first registration (paragraph 4).

The former rule that books are ineligible if more than three authors are named on the title page is abolished (paragraph 2).

The sum attributable to each qualifying loan for the purposes of calculating the amount payable in respect of loans of a particular book is increased from 1.37p to 1.81p (paragraph 3).