The Sex Pistols did not record Anarchy in the UK to secure their pensions and, unless his divorce goes particularly badly, Sir Paul McCartney will enjoy a prosperous retirement. That makes the plea by British musicians for a copyright extension on music from 50 to 95 years, in line with America's Sonny Bono Act of 1998, sound like a bit of a broken record.

This week, as part of a welter of documents accompanying a budget report, the Treasury published a review of the rules on intellectual property. Written by Andrew Gowers, a for-mer editor of this newspaper, it argues against extending the term of copyright for music, but for reforms that would make intellectual property cheaper to protect and easier to enforce.