HC Deb 10 January 1995 vol 252 cc23-5W
Mr. Harvey

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the programme of work for(a) the Advisory Committee for Arbitration Law, (b) the Aviation Committee, (c) the Standing Advisory Committee on Industrial Property and (d) the Fuel Cell Advisory Panel.

Mr. Heseltine

The information requested is as follows:

  • a) Advisory Committee for Arbitration Law
  • The current work of the advisory committee is set out in my answer to the hon. Gentleman of 27 October 1994, Official Report, column 779.
  • b) Aviation Committee
  • The committee meets four times a year. Each meeting focuses on the policy background of several specific subjects within the topics of the standing agenda, detailed below:
    1. a) The performance and competitiveness of the United Kingdom aerospace industry;
    2. b) A strategy for the industry;
    3. c) Research and technology acquisition;
    4. d) The launch aid scheme;
    5. e) Future opportunities for United Kingdom companies—including market forecasts;
    6. f) Support for United Kingdom aerospace exports;
    7. g) Collaboration policy;
    8. h) MOD procurement policies;
    9. i) Air traffic management.
  • c) Standing Advisory Committee on Industrial Property
  • The committee gives advice to my Department on issues such as the fees and implementing rules for the Community trade mark, the draft rules for the international registration of trade marks—Madrid protocol—United Kingdom Patent Office searching policy, the Commission proposal for a block exemption for patent licences, the use and exploitation of intellectual property by small firms and the proposed European directive and regulation on design protection.
  • d) Fuel Cell Advisory Panel
  • The FCAP advises my Department and the energy technology support unit on the management of the Department's advanced fuel cell R and D programme. It advises on the development of plans to meet the aims and objectives set by my Department for the programme, monitors progress and evaluates its effectiveness. It also advises on the merits and funding of individual project proposals.
  • There is no set programme of work for the panel but it meets as necessary, abut four times a year. to undertake these functions. Technical strategies for the programme, endorsed by the panel, were 24 published earlier this year and are available in the Library of the House.

Mr. Harvey

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the Government's response to each submission from the Aviation Committee listed in his answer of 26 October,Official Report, columns 649–50.

Mr. Charles Wardle

The Government's response to each submission from the Aviation Committee was as followsControl Technology Programme: It was agreed to offer financial support to this programme from the civil aircraft research and demonstration budget. National Strategic Technology Acquisition Plan: On 20 July 1993, the right hon. Tim Sainsbury, MP, Minister for Industry, announced that the DTI would adopt the technological priorities identified in the NSTAP. They are being used to inform DTI's work in the design of its own aerospace policies and in its discussions with the providers of other publicly funded science and technology programmes in Whitehall and Europe. DTI is working with industry, other Government Departments and the science and engineering base to identify ways of helping the aeronautics industry meet its priority needs under the Government's science, engineering and technology policy, also encompassing the European dimension, with the NSTAP priorities serving to inform the Government during discussions on the size and content of the European Union's fourth research and development framework programme. Technology Co-ordinators: It has been agreed that technology co-ordinators should be appointed to implement the NSTAP with the cost being shared between Government and industry. An Industry Strategy: The Government welcome the work done by the Society of British Aerospace Companies in developing the strategy document. It has been adopted as the basis of a dialogue between Government and the industry on the competitiveness of the sector and represents a good foundation for the stronger partnership between Government and the industry that both wish to develop. The Hercules Replacement: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced the Government's policy to the House on 16 December 1994, Official Report column 823.

Mr. Harvey

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the Government's response to each submission from the Measurement Advisory Committee listed in his answer of 2 December,Official Report, columns 936–38.

Mr. Ian Taylor

In response to the submission from the Standards, Quality and Measurement Advisory Committee of 19 February 1993, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Technology, my hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough and Horncastle (Mr. Leigh), replied to the chairman of the SQMAC by letter on 26 March 1993. Copies of this letter were sent to all the SQMAC members who wrote to my hon. Friend on an individual basis.

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade replied in a letter to the SQMAC submission of 1 June 1993, offering a meeting which was held on 13 July 1993 between the chairman and representative members of the SQMAC and the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Technology, my hon. Friend the Member for West Derbyshire (Mr. McLoughlin).

Mr. Harvey

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the policies and legislation initiated over the past three years that were based on proposals from(a) the Aviation Committee, (b) the Advisory Committee for Arbitration Law, (c) the Standing Advisory Committee on Industrial Property, (d) the Measurement Advisory Committee and (e) the Fuel Cell Advisory Panel.

Mr. Heseltine

The information requested is as followsa) Aviation Committee My Department has adopted the technology priorities set out in the national strategic technology acquisition plan for aeronautics prepared by the committee. The Department has also agreed to support the appointment of technology co-ordinators, a mechanism to help implement NSTAP recommended by the working group which consisted of industry members nominated by the Aviation Committee and officials. b) Advisory Committee for Arbitration Law As indicated in my answer of 26 October 1994, Official Report, column 649, my Department issued a consultation document on a draft Arbitration Bill. This was based on advice from the advisory committee. c) Standing Advisory Committee on Industrial Property SACIP has provided advice to my Department on a wide range of issues and made proposals leading to the development of the Trade Marks Act, the trade marks rules, the Community trade mark regulation, draft rules for the international registration of trade marks—Madrid Protocol—the trade mark law harmonisation treaty, the draft directive on the legal protection of Biological inventions, supplementary protection certificates for pharmaceuticals, proposals for second tier protection, the draft treaty on the international registration of industrial designs, and the council regulation on counterfeiting. d) Measurement Advisory Committee (MAC) The MAC and its predecessor, the Standards, Quality and Measurement Advisory Committee, have given general advice on the size, apportionment and management of spending on the national measurement system. Its working groups have helped to produce, monitor and review 12 programmes of work within the NMS. e) Fuel Cell Advisory Panel The terms of reference for the Fuel Cell Advisory Panel do not include the development of new policy or legislative proposals.

Mr. Harvey

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the programme of work for the Measurement Advisory Committee.

Mr. Ian Taylor

A full meeting of the Measurement Advisory Committee is scheduled for 27 March 1995 and will discuss a range of issues within the advisory committee's terms of reference. A meeting of the independent members of the advisory committee will be held in September or October 1995—date to be arranged—to carry out the annual task of prioritising all of the work within the 12 national measurement system programmes.

In addition, there is likely to be 22 meetings of the advisory committee's working groups during 1995. The working groups will review the progress of work within each of the 12 NMS programmes. Each working group is chaired by an independent member of the advisory committee.