§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations he had with MAFF, the Department of Health and the Department for International Development on the formulation of Government policy on patenting genetic resources for food and agriculture. [74473]
§ Mr. BattleThe patenting of genetic resources for food and agriculture, as with all areas of technology, is governed by the Patents Act 1977. In July 1998, an EC Directive on the Legal Protection of Biotechnological Inventions was adopted with the aim of clarifying and harmonising the patent legislation of all Member States for such inventions. During the negotiations on this Directive my Department consulted closely with other26W Departments including MAFF, the Department of Health and the Department for International Development. These links have been maintained since the adoption of the Directive.