IT firms pirated more software than others

And in 2005 the BSA opened 420 investigations into UK businesses which were reported to have used software illegally, a rise of 24 per cent compared to the previous year.

The biggest payment last year was £31,000, while there were eight other settlements over £20,000, said the BSA. The biggest culprits, it claimed, were from the IT sector at 15%, while sales and distribution amounted to eight per cent.

Accountants were the least likely to have pirated software.

The BSA did not name names. µ