9 Mar 2001 : Column: 347W
Written Answers to Questions
Friday 9 March 2001
PRIME MINISTER
Hammond Inquiry
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Prime Minister when he intends to publish Sir Anthony Hammond's review into the circumstances surrounding the application for naturalisation by Mr. S. P. Hinduja. [152448]
The Prime Minister: I am publishing Sir Anthony Hammond's report today. I am most grateful to Sir Anthony Hammond for all his work.
Sir Anthony Hammond is satisfied that nothing improper has occurred in relation to the application for naturalisation by Mr. S. P. Hinduja. Sir Anthony Hammond has found that the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. O'Brien), the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz), and my right hon. Friend the Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson) behaved entirely properly throughout.
Sir Anthony Hammond also recommends improvements to administrative practice which the Government will implement in full.
I have placed a copy of the report in the Libraries of both Houses. Copies are available from the Vote Office.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Sexual Harassment
Ms Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints there have been of sexual harassment and abuse in Royal Mail sorting offices in each of the last five years. [152089]
Mr. Alan Johnson: I am advised by the Post Office that it does not hold this information for the last five years. However, the Post Office has provided figures for the number of Employment Tribunal cases involving sexual discrimination and harassment for the last three years as set out in the table.
| Financial year | Number of Employment Tribunal cases |
|---|---|
| 1998-99 | 13 |
| 1999-2000 | 23 |
| 2001-01(1) | 25 |
(1) To December
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Medicines Act (South Africa)
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what outcome of the legal action being pursued by GlaxoSmithKline over the South African Government's amended Medicines Act would accord with Government policy. [152268]
Mr. Caborn: The Government do not speculate on the outcome of legal cases whether in the UK or overseas.
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 13 December 2000, Official Report, column 141W, on HIV/AIDS, if he has supported the use of compulsory licensing and parallel importing of medicines by poor countries. [152267]
Mr. Caborn: The Government support the existing flexibilities within the WTO TRIPS Agreement. This allows WTO members to implement domestic IPR regimes which take adequate account of their national circumstances. There is nothing in the TRIPS Agreement to prevent Governments from allowing the importation of goods from the cheapest legitimate international sources (parallel importing). This is a matter for the judgment of individual Governments. The TRIPS Agreement (Article 31) also allows Governments to authorise production without the consent of patent holders, subject to adequate compensation (compulsory licensing) in a range of circumstances.
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contact his Department has had with the South African Government regarding its Medicines Act. [152270]
Mr. Caborn: The Department of Trade and Industry has had contacts with the South African Government concerning part of one article of its revised Medicines Act. We have made clear our support for South Africa's access to affordable medicines, consistent with national obligations under the TRIPs Agreement.
Compulsory Licences
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the compulsory licences applied for to his Department in the last 10 years and the outcomes. [152136]
Mr. Caborn: Seven applications have been made for compulsory patent licences under Section 48 of the Patents Act 1977 in the last 10 years. Details are in the table.
(2) Confirmed on appeal
Source:
Patent Office Annual Reports, 1990-91 to 1999-2000
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9 Mar 2001 : Column: 349W
Litigation (GlaxoSmithKline)
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has been in contact with GlaxoSmithKline concerning its legal action against the South African Government; and if he will make a statement. [152269]
Mr. Caborn: I have been in contact with GlaxoSmithKline on a range of matters, including the conditions for business in South Africa. The pursuit of legal action is a matter for GSK and the other companies concerned.
Medicines (Costs)
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.
Fixed Term Work Directive
Ms Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his plans to implement the European Directive on fixed term work. [153492]
Mr. Alan Johnson: I am today publishing a consultation paper setting out options for implementing this directive. Copies are being placed in the Library of the House. The consultation period will last for 12 weeks, until 31 May, and I look forward to receiving views from as many interested parties as possible by this date.
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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Timber
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much certified timber has been purchased by her Department over the past six months; and what proportion of total timber purchases this represents. [152117]
Clare Short: DFID will report data on all timber purchases to DETR for incorporation in the Green Ministers' annual report. Guidance on data collection is being prepared by DETR. In advance of agreed systems DFID could not currently collate this information without disproportionate cost. We encourage all our suppliers to procure goods from sustainable sources and to comply with international trade agreements.
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if her Department's annual report on timber procurement to the Committee of Green Ministers will be published. [152110]
Clare Short: DFID will report timber usage annually to DETR for publication in the Green Ministers' annual report.
GATS
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the impact on the world's poorest countries of the possible extension of GATS; and if she will make a statement. [153043]
Clare Short: It is up to developing countries to decide to what extent they want to open their markets further under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). The Government believe that services are potentially a significant source of economic growth for developing countries. The development of services domestically, particularly in the finance and telecommunications sectors, is necessary to facilitate the growth in other parts of the economy to reduce poverty. Services liberalisation can act as a spur to domestic reform. It can provide access to new markets overseas and can encourage foreign investment.
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