Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the discussion paper, Follow the Money: financial options to assist in the battle against online IP piracy, published by the hon. Member for Hove in June 2014, what steps the Government has taken to (a) ensure that initiatives to tackle intellectual property offences by cutting advertising revenue streams have an international focus and (b) promote further collaboration between the Intellectual Property Office and equivalent bodies in other countries.

The Government has formed an Advertising Working Group, chaired by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), which includes representation from international brand holders, online advertisers and law enforcement. Its remit encompasses advertising revenue streams that originate from all territories. The Police IP Crime Unit’s Infringing Website List contains websites owned and hosted internationally and ensures that advertisers adopt a global approach to reduce advertising on websites accused of hosting and facilitating the use of copyright infringing material.

The IPO works closely with equivalent bodies such as the EU Observatory, the Commission and national IP Offices, as well as international law enforcers such as Europol and Interpol, to share our experiences and highlight best practice to help counter the international threat from online IP piracy.