Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Smart Fund proposal to use funds from sales of electronic devices which copy, store, and share creative content to pay creators and performers whose work is accessed, distributed, and stored on such devices.

The Government is not yet persuaded of the case for the Smart Fund. Further evidence is needed to fully assess the benefits, costs and wider impacts on consumers and businesses as well as creators. The Government continues to engage with supporters of the Smart Fund and will consider any further evidence on its merits, taking account of the interests of all those affected.