Examination of Witnesses (Questions 160-164)
DR LEWIS
MOONIE MP, MR
COLIN BALMER
AND MR
MARTIN EARWICKER
TUESDAY 21 JANUARY 2003
160. Where there are joint sites how do you
go about security for two entities subject to the same potential
threat?
(Mr Earwicker) For example, at Farnborough we lease
our buildings from QinetiQ. QinetiQ provide the normal security
you would expect in a business environment but our buildings themselves
are completely isolated and you cannot get in without swiping
a pass, etc., and our IT systems are quite separate.
161. Perhaps, Minister, you could send us a
note on security and policing arrangements, that would be quite
helpful.
(Dr Moonie) Absolutely.
162. In splitting up DERA, the MoD had to divide
up its intellectual property between QinetiQ, the MoD and industry.
Has that exercise now been completed to everyone's satisfaction?
(Dr Moonie) Broadly speaking, yes. I think there are
still two small areas in which some resolution has to take place
but by and large it has been split to our satisfaction.
163. So what are the areas still to be resolved,
Minister? What firms are disputing the decisions reached in the
so-called RASP process? What are the areas of technology involved?
(Mr Balmer) Can I be clear that we were not splitting
intellectual property in many areas. What we are talking about
is where somebody owns intellectual property, typically a major
company, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and so on, if they own the intellectual
property then they still own it, we have no power to take it off
them. When DERA was a trading fund we had the power under the
contract with the companies to give to DERA that information,
that intellectual property, so that they could work for us and
advise us. They could not use it for their own purposes. They
could not go out and make things using that information, that
would be illegal. All they could do was advise the MoD. That is
still the case. We try to have an arrangement where we only give
to QinetiQ information which they need to advise us but belongs
to a third party. They cannot use it for any other purpose, that
would be illegal. The process by which we did this was this a
records and audit separation project where every single item,
over 160,000 items, was combed through by MoD staff and QinetiQ
staff to say "QinetiQ, do you think you still need this file,
this computer programme, this drawing, whatever it may be, to
continue to advise us on contracts we now have with you?"
If they did not we took it back from them. We had a process of
independent audit to make sure that whole programme worked smoothly.
As you would expect with 160,000 items, I do not think we got
it perfectly right in every case. It is certainly the case that
some companies have been nervous that we have left inside QinetiQ
some of their property which we should not have done. I repeat,
QinetiQ would still not be allowed to misuse it, that would be
illegal. What we are talking about is have we given them items
of information which we said we would not. We have had two companies
asking us questions about that. One was a small matter, the other
is a fairly significant piece of work from Rolls-Royce which comprehends
a lot of documents which have been generated over a long period
of time, over many, many years, and it has proved quite difficult
to pin down exactly what has happened to each and every file.
Some have been destroyed and we are still in the process of proving
that they have been destroyed. Some have been returned to the
MoD. Some we are still investigating to see whether it is right
that QinetiQ should have them or should not have them. Rolls-Royce
seemed to have a concern that QinetiQ, if they have access to
this information, somehow will misuse it but, I repeat, we have
a compliance regime in place, QinetiQ have an absolute business
imperative not to misuse other people's intellectual property,
they would be mad to do so and I am confident that they will not
do so. Nonetheless, we are going out of our way to try persuade
companies that information which is their property is only given
to QinetiQ when they need it to advise us.
164. Who is going to be on the QinetiQ board
from the MoD, Minister, have you decided?
(Dr Moonie) That is still under discussion but there
will be one internal appointment, one external appointment.
Chairman: If there are any more questions perhaps
we can drop you a note. Thank you, Minister, and thank you to
QinetiQ for trying to enlighten us. Thank you.
|
