§ Mr. GapesTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the Government's policy towards proposals for the patenting of life forms and genetic information.
§ Mr. LeighUnder our current legislation, inventions relating to life forms and genetic information are, in general, patentable provided that they satisfy the normal requirements—that they are novel, not obvious and industrially applicable. Plant and animal varieties are, however, specifically excluded from patentability. The Government have no plans to change the legislation.