§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answer on 20 November regarding the payment of a licence fee to MCA Merchandising for the use of the Herman Munster copyright in the Frank N. Stein advertising campaign, what proportion of payments by WCRS to MCA for breach of copyright will be passed on to the Department by way of mark-up, commission, contingency fees or other contractual arrangements with identical practical effect.
§ Mr. BaldryThe Government paid £6,000 as a contribution to the licence fee. No payments in excess of this figure will be paid to WCRS, in this respect, by any other means.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answer of 21 November, what was the cost of indemnity insurance against any breach of copyright claims related to the Frank N. Stein advertising campaign for the flotation of the electricity distribution companies; which insurance company provided the cover; what was the excess agreed in the cover; and what part of the costs were charged to his Department by WCRS.
§ Mr. BaldryIndemnity insurance is a matter for the advertising agency WCRS. Her Majesty's Government have not made and will not make any payments in respect of costs associated with indemnity insurance.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply of 20 November,Official Report, column 84, if he will place in the Library the supporting visual evidence adduced by MCA Merchandising in support of its claim for licence fees in respect of the electricity privatisation advertising campaign.
§ Mr. BaldryThe material sent to WCRS by MCA has been retained by WCRS.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answer of 21 November,Official Report, column 147, what percentage of the licence fee paid to MCA Merchandising in respect of the electricity distribution company flotation campaign his Department's contribution represented.
§ Mr. BaldryHer Majesty's Government paid £6,000 as a contribution to the licence fee. The terms of the arrangements between WCRS and MCA Merchandising are a matter for the parties concerned.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answer of 21 November, what assurances he sought from Slaughter and May as to its expertise in the law of copyright.
§ Mr. BaldryHer Majesty's Government consulted a specialist in Slaughter and May in the field of intellectual property rights.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether any time limit applies to the personal indemnity clause applying to all future legal claims against him by new shareholders in the electricity distribution companies by virtue of the outbreak of war in the Gulf.
§ Mr. BaldryNo such personal indemnity clause exists.