Why does the Government need to own the copyright in software it has developed?

[ Thanks to E5Rebel for this link. ]

"Unfortunately, ownership, even if the comfort is illusory in reality, can provide tangible benefits: for example, banks may sometimes be prepared to take security over intellectual property, and VCs may be more prepared to fund a company which owns its IP portfolio, but this is an issue for another day.

"I was discussing this point at a meeting with the Cabinet Office the other day. The government seems to be obsessed by its ability to prevent other people from using copyright it has paid for. This doesn't really stand up to much scrutiny. If government is using our tax money to create intellectual property, then why shouldn't everyone have the ability to use it without restriction?"

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