Plans to remove the exemption for charities on music licensing fees have again been delayed, with a spokesman for the Intellectual Property Office stating that the government hasn’t made a decision yet.

NCVO had believed that the statutory instrument, which would ensure charities have to pay a charge for playing music in charity shops or at fundraising events, would be laid before parliament today, but the spokesman said the government is still in discussions with relevant parties and that nothing would happen before the summer recess.

In a recent letter to Baroness Wilcox, parliamentary secretary for business, innovation and skills, the chief executives of NCVO, Volunteering England and Navca - Sir Stuart Etherington, Justin Davis Smith and Kevin Curley - wrote: “We cannot support the current proposal being negotiated as it does not sufficiently address the issue of the very smallest organisations.”