§ Mr. ArbuthnotTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the differences are between current UK copyright law and the draft of the proposed EU directive on software patentability for which the Minister of State for Industry and the Regions voted at the EU Competitiveness Council meeting on 17-18 May. [189316]
§ Ms HewittPresent UK copyright law protects an original computer program that has been recorded in some form, but does not protect the idea behind the program. The current draft of the directive does not alter copyright protection, but confirms that innovators can gain patent protection for inventions involving the use of computer programs, providing they meet existing patentability requirements, which include making a technical contribution.