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The Early Day Motion, tabled by Labour MP for Linlithgow & Falkirk East Michael Connarty, argues that 'thousands of musicians and their record companies will lose out over the next few years because of the shorter copyright term for sound recordings relative to that granted to almost all other creators'.

Currently recorded works are protected for 50 years. Songwriters, on the other hand, retain copyright for their whole lifetime, plus another 70 years for whoever inherits their estate.

The UK Government sponsored review of intellectual property recommended at the end of last year that the 50-year copyright term should be preserved, resisting calls from record industry and artists led by Cliff Richard for an extension. Andrew Gowers, who carried out the review, said recently that he had considered recommending a shorter period.

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An EU report subsequently agreed with Gowers that the 50-year term was sufficient, arguing that any extension would 'strengthen and prolong' the major record companies dominance of the market 'to the detriment of competition'.

Connarty disagrees, arguing that it is low-earning musicians who lose out.

He notes that: 'According to a Musicians Union survey, 90 per cent of musicians earn less than £15,000 a year...the extension of copyright will come as a much needed financial boost to many low paid musicians'.

The Open Rights Group disagrees, saying that certain politicians 'appear to be neglecting their IP studies'.

It argues that 'term extension will neither benefit starving musicians nor guarantee profits for the recording industry. We must remind politicians to debate this issue on the basis of evidence - which points firmly against extension - rather than nostalgia.'

Details of Connarty's motion together with a list of signatories are available on the Parliamentary Information Management Services website.