HC Deb 09 March 2001 vol 364 c349W
Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which countries have issued compulsory licences to reduce the cost of medicines in the last 10 years. [152271]

Mr. Caborn

Compulsory licences are subject to national laws. The UK has not issued any compulsory licences in the last 10 years. The Government do not have information on compulsory licences issued by other countries.

Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which countries have used parallel importing to reduce the cost of medicines in the last 10 years. [152272]

Mr. Caborn

Parallel importing can and does occur between EU member states, but information as to its occurrence elsewhere is not available. We have no information on other countries introducing legislation on the international exhaustion of patents with the explicit aim of reducing the cost of medicines.