§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he takes to ensure that novel foods for which patents are granted cannot then be classified as substantially equivalent, and vice versa. [72569]
§ Mr. Rooker[holding answer 22 February 1999]: Substantial equivalence is a concept related to the safety assessment of novel foods and has no link to the patenting of such foods.
§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he received the first draft of the Novel Foods Directive from the Commission of the European Community; what response he made and what interests he consulted; when signed explanatory memoranda were placed in the Vote Office; and what plans he has to make representations to the Commission of the European Union concerning the terms of the Directive. [72205]
§ Mr. Rooker[holding answer 22 February 1999]: I assume my hon. Friend is referring to the EC Novel Foods and Novel Food Ingredients Regulation 258/97 adopted on 27 January 1997. The proposed regulation was received, negotiated and adopted by the previous Administration and I have no access to the related papers. The regulation is due for review in 2002.