Parliamentary copyright applies where a work is made "by or under the direction or control of the House of Commons or the House of Lords". Where parliamentary copyright applies, the work qualifies for copyright protection even though the usual requirements relating to qualifications for copyright protection may not apply. The House by whom, or under whose direction or control, the work is made is the first owner of any copyright in the work, and if the work is made by or under the direction or control of both Houses, the two Houses are joint first owners of copyright. Copyright in such a work is referred to in this Part as "parliamentary copyright", notwithstanding that it may be, or have been, assigned to another person. Parliamentary copyright in a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work lasts for 50 years from the end of the calendar year in which the work was made.
Legislation Bills in the Parliament of the United Kingdom Copyright in bills introduced into Parliament belongs to one or both of the Houses of Parliament. A bill is normally introduced into one of the two Houses first, and once it is approved by one it goes to the other. Copyright in
public bills belongs to the House into which the bill is introduced, and if it is passed by that House, it is then shared by both Houses jointly. The copyright starts from the time when the text of the bill is handed in to the House in which it is introduced. Copyright in
private bills belongs to both Houses jointly and starts from the time when a copy of the bill is first deposited in either House. Copyright in a
personal bill belongs in the first instance to the House of Lords, and if it is passed by that House, it is then shared by both Houses jointly. This copyright only starts when the bill has
First Reading in the House of Lords.
Northern Ireland Assembly or the
Senedd (Welsh Parliament), from the point a bill is introduced until it is either given royal assent, or withdrawn or rejected. In these cases, the copyright belongs to the corporate body of the respective legislature: the
Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, the
Northern Ireland Assembly Commission or the
Senedd Commission. ==Open Parliament Licence==