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Locate in Scotland
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent discussions her Department has had with the Scottish Office in respect of Locate in Scotland. [15628]
Mr. Ian McCartney: My officials have regular contact with both the Scottish Office and Locate in Scotland on the handling of inward investment projects in the UK. My Department's Invest in Britain Bureau continues to work in partnership with, amongst others, the investment agency for Scotland under the Committee on Overseas Promotion arrangements.
Critical Illness Insurance
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimates she has made of the current number of people who have taken out critical illness insurance; and what the figure was in 1987. [15970]
Mr. Ian McCartney: I understand that the Association of British Insurers estimate that in 1996 some 93,000 new policies for critical illness insurance were written in the UK, and that some £50 million of premium was paid for them. No other estimates, or corresponding ones for 1987, are available.
Patents (Genes)
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what research her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the link between patents on genes and research into new cures; and if she will place a copy of such research in the Library. [16389]
Mr. Ian McCartney
[holding answer 17 November 1997]: My Department has not commissioned research into the link between patents on genes and research into new cures.
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Under the relevant legislation (the Patents Act 1977) patent protection may be obtained for genes when isolated from the body or produced by a technical process but only if general criteria for patentability are met.
United Kingdom law and that of all member states of the European Union is closely aligned with that of the European Patent Convention which came into force in 1978.
Under current legislation acts done for experimental purposes relating to the subject matter of a patented invention do not infringe patent rights.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on her policy on the levying of royalties by patent holders on crops to which patented genes have spread through horizontal gene transfer. [16152]
Mr. Ian McCartney
[holding answer 17 November 1997]: The current legislation (The Patents Act 1977) details the act which constitute infringement of a patent for an invention. Where the invention is a product, these acts include making, disposing, offering to dispose, using or importing the product without the consent of the patent holder.
Application of these provisions in any given circumstance is for a Court to determine. To date there has been no litigation on the levying of royalties by patent holders on crops to which patented genes have spread through horizontal gene transfer.
Mr. Reed:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress she has made in her review of Post Office services, with particular reference to Crown post office closures; and if she will make a statement. [16560]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
The first stage of our review of the Post Office has taken the form of a scoping study and has comprised extensive consultations with the main interested parties in the postal sector. Our aim is to develop a comprehensive policy programme for the Post Office in the context of our manifesto commitment to grant the Post Office greater commercial freedom. Decisions on the future of the Post Office policy of converting Crown post offices to agency status, which has been suspended since May, will be taken within the wider framework of the review.
Mr. Beggs:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes she has made since 1 May to the reporting relationship between regional inward investment attracting organisations and his Department. [16646]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
My Department's Invest in Britain Bureau continues to work with all its regional partners under the Committee on Overseas Promotion on arrangements to ensure that the UK remains the Number 1 location in Europe for attracting inward investment.
Mr. Beggs:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how the decision-making powers of (a) Scottish Enterprise, (b) the Welsh Development Agency, (c) the Northern Ireland Industrial Development Board and
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(d) the equivalent English agencies on issues of inward investment will be linked to the work of her Department in future. [16647]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
My Department's Invest in Britain Bureau will continue to work in partnership under the Committee on Overseas Promotion arrangements with the inward investment agencies of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the English regions to maintain the UK as the Number 1 location in Europe for foreign direct investment.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is her policy in respect of the faxing of press releases on the day of release to Opposition party spokesmen; what changes have been introduced since 1 May; and if she will make a statement. [16309]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
It has been the Department's practice for some years to fax, on request, its press releases to Opposition party spokesman on the day of release.
Mr. McDonnell:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the names of those employers who have been found to have breached the anti-discrimination legislation at an industrial tribunal, indicating the amount of compensation awarded, since 1 May. [16481]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
Since 1 May 1997, there have been 86 successful applications made against employers at Industrial Tribunal hearings in the United Kingdom where the main jurisdiction fell within anti-discrimination legislation. In 28 of these cases, awards were made to the applicants.
The detailed information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Full details of each tribunal application, the tribunal's decision and the names of respondents in particular cases can be found on the Public Register at Bury St. Edmunds, unless the case involves an allegation of a sexual offence.
Mr. Paterson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many (a) tobacconist shops and (b) public houses will be affected by the Competition Bill. [16354]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
Agreements which fulfil the criteria for exemption under European block exemption regulations, including those relating to beer tie agreements and exclusive distribution, will be automatically exempt from the prohibition of anti-competitive agreements.
The Competition Bill will apply to agreements or conduct which are anti-competitive.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the consultation paper on the proposed lifting of restrictions on BT carrying entertainment services will be published. [16692]
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Mrs. Roche:
The Government are actively considering the issue. We wish to see competition sustained and developing further in all areas of the market and in the consumer interest. We intend, as soon as possible, to publish for consultation our proposals on the way forward on this issue.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what qualifications are needed and what licensing is required of persons who engage in body piercing. [15975]
Ms Jowell:
I have been asked to reply.
There are no statutory qualifications for cosmetic body piercers. Local authorities in London have powers either to license or to register cosmetic body piercing businesses. The majority of London local authorities have adopted licensing powers which enable them to set licensing conditions, including the qualifications of persons offering cosmetic body piercing. Local authorities outside London do not have similar powers. In October 1996, the Department consulted on a proposal to give local authorities outside London powers to control cosmetic body piercing businesses. We are currently considering the outcome of the consultation exercise.
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the answer of 10 November from the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Official Report, column 441, if he will list the e-mail addresses of (a) Ministers, (b) senior officials and (c) chief executives of agencies for which he is responsible. [15866]
Mr. Ron Davies
[holding answer 13 November 1997]: My Department is in the process of determining the most cost-effective way of using Internet e-mail, and we expect that we will start to do so early in 1998. At that point e-mail addresses of Ministers and senior officials will be made public.
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