§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the patenting of human genes and tissues. [12840]
§ Mr. BattleInterpretation of these criteria is based on jurisprudence.
This Department is also currently undertaking a wide-ranging consultation on the EC's proposed directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions, which could harmonise and clarify national laws on the patenting of biotechnological inventions, so reducing current uncertainty in this area of law in Europe. It is an important initiative in an area where issues of research, ethics and business all need to be taken into account.