§ Mr. David EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether patentable agricultural chemicals which are required to pass safety tests before they receive marketing approval will be eligible for supplementary protection certificates of the type proposed by the EC Commission for medicinal products.
§ Mr. LeighMy colleagues and I accept that the patent term erosion in the agrochemical industry is similar to that for pharmaceuticals and that agrochemical patents should have similar supplementary protection. We intend therefore to seek either amendment of the Commission's proposal to cover agrochemicals or the introduction of a new proposal to that effect.