The former editor of the Financial Times Andrew Gowers has been investigating wether copyright should be extended from 50 years to 95 years for the Treasury.

The UK's older recording artists Cliff Richard and Jethro Tull along with the BPI  have been campaigning for the right to extend copyright on sound recordings to last 95 years, rather than the present 50. 

But currently the Treasury's commission is recommending that the terms should not be extended. If accepted by the government, it means that Sir Cliff's earliest songs will start to come out of copyright in 2008.

His conclusions will be published next week, as part of the chancellor's annual pre-budget report.