§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy towards licence of right endorsements in drug manufacture.
§ Mr. HayhoePolicy on patents is for my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
As my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced on 14 April, the Government intend to introduce legislation to provide that pharmaceuticals for human treatment should be exempt from the licence of right provisions contained in Schedule 1 paragraph 4(2)(c) of the Patents Act 1977. I fully support this move.