Film piracy costs UK £614m

Some straightforward steps to tackle film piracy would increase UK economic output by £614m and protect the jobs of thousands in the film industry, a report has claimed.

The report from Oxford Economics, commissioned by lobby group Respect for Film, suggests that tightening up certain laws could stop millions of pounds being lost to piracy.

Proposals in the report include making camcorders illegal in cinemas, regulating car-boot sales, introducing legislation to tackle illegal file-sharing and revamping the way damages are awarded.

Lavinia Carey, chair of Respect for Film, said: "Our sector isn’t asking for a handout, but targeted legislation to reduce copyright theft and deliver over £600m and support employment to the benefit of the UK economy."

The government appears to be broadly supportive of the recommendations made in the report.

David Lammy, Minister for Intellectual Property, said: "Technological advances in the digital age have seen copyright move from its historic legal and technical backwater into the wider political spotlight."

The recent Digital Britain report also made recommendations on ways to reduce piracy.