§ Lord Mackie of Benshieasked Her Majesty's Government:
How they will ensure that the benefits of MAFF-funded research and development carried out by ADAS continue to be made available to the industry as a whole following privatisation.
Lord Lucas:We are well aware of the need to ensure that department-funded research results continue to be properly exploited to the benefit of the industry as a whole. Where existing intellectual property rights are sold with an ADAS business, we will attach appropriate conditions, which may include a requirement on the purchaser to grant non-exclusive licences to third parties to exploit the intellectual property. Future contracts with the privatised company will specify the arrangements for ownership of the intellectual property rights and the conditions attached to such ownership.