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A huge majority of respondents to the government’s consultation on the future of Public Lending Right (PLR) do not want to see its functions passed to another body.
Just over a thousand individuals and organisations sent in responses to the consultation, with 948 saying they did not think the administration of lending rights, currently handled by the PLR Registrar, should be controlled by another body.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has proposed a move in order to make savings, with their preferred option being that the British Library take control of the system.
Between 8th May 8th and 30th July this year, they carried out a consultation asking for views on the potential change, with the initial responses now released.
Only 30 of 1015 respondents agreed that PLR functions should be transferred, with some of these attaching conditions that the moves should not inconvenience current staff or negatively impact on authors.
The results also show that of those who think the functions should not be transferred, 85% comment that the current service is “excellent”, “effective” and “efficient”. Many also cast doubt on the suitability of the British Library to absorb the role, without prior experience or specialism in the area.
Around a third of respondents worried that a transfer would impact on authors, increasing bureaucracy or delaying payments.
The government will now decide on a course of action, saying: “The aims of the proposed transfer are to reduce both the number and costs of public bodies. The Government will consider how to meet these aims taking consideration of the responses to the consultation and the issues raised.“