asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what commitment has been entered into by Her Majesty's Government in relation to the passage of the Patents (Amendment) Bill, currently in Committee in the House of Lords.

I have been asked to reply.In April last year the Government announced their decision to remove pharmaceutical patents from the scope of the licence of right provisions in schedule 1 of the Patents Act 1977. Following an offer by Lord Northfield in November to introduce a Bill with this aim, the Government undertook to provide drafting assistance.