HC Deb 05 March 2002 vol 381 c164W
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many lawyers are employed by DERA; and at what cost in the last 12 months. [39146]

Dr. Moonie

As part of the implementation of the DERA public-private partnership, the DERA Trading Fund Agency was disestablished on 1 July 2001. From its constituent parts two new organisations were created: QinetiQ plc, a wholly Government owned company, and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), an agency of the Ministry of Defence.

Prior to vesting of the company, DERA employed three lawyers and 11 patent attorneys and would have also used the services of the MOD's legal department and consulted external legal advisers where appropriate. These costs fell to a number of different departments within the former DERA and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Since vesting, Dstl has used the services of the MOD's legal department and occasionally employed external legal advisers. QinetiQ employs six barristers/solicitors and 11 patent attorneys to deal in the main with intellectual property matters. It also employs external lawyers as and when necessary in connection with its joint venture and other business activities. In addition, a number of external lawyers have been contracted to advise on aspects of the PPP, including intellectual property, trademark and contractual issues. I am withholding details of costs in accordance with Exemption 14 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.