Patent Protection for Pharmaceutical Innovations

That this House notes that the British pharmaceutical industry achieved a record level of over ú2 billion worth of exports in 1989, showing a balance of payments surplus of ú955 million; and, in the interests of further improving the United Kingdom balance of payments and improving competitiveness with the United States of America and Japan, urges Her Majesty's Government to support European Commission proposals to restore patent protection for new pharmaceutical innovations which has been eroded by both increasing research and development times, and regulatory authority requirements in granting product licences.