§ Mr. AllanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the proposed directive on the patentability of computer-implemented inventions as approved by the European Parliament on 24 September; and if she will make a statement. [136202]
§ Ms Hewitt[holding answer 3 November 2003]: In considering the best ways to encourage innovation in the UK, the Government believe that a fair and effective intellectual property system, for software as well as for other areas of technology, plays a central part in developing and protecting new ideas. The aim of the UK Government and the European Commission, in the proposed directive on software patents, is to clarify the position on patentability of computer-implemented inventions and confirm that only those inventions that involve a technical contribution can be protected by patents. We believe that this is beneficial for industry and consumers alike.
We continue to listen to the concerns of those who oppose the granting of patents in this field, and we believe that the Government's approach offers the best balance of protection for the industry and for users of software. The directive is now before a working group of the Council of Ministers where representatives from EU member states, and the Commission, will consider the amendments made by the Parliament and in due course submit it to the Council itself for its consideration. We will await the comments of the working group and the Commission before finalising our position.