Re: [Fsfe-uk] "Software patent fight moves to Parliament"

[P.L.Hayes]

On Friday 21 May 2004 14:30, James Heald wrote:
> Good advice from Richard Allan MP.

Is it though? Patricia Hewitt attends the launch of Intellect, headed by the 
pro-swpat Higgins and makes a speech in which she states that the UK ICT and 
electronics industries employ over a million people - the same number of 
people Intellect claims are employed by it's members and accounting for 10% 
of total UK GDP. Intellect successfully campaigns for R&D tax credits to be 
extended to software innovation and Sainsbury talks of patents as an 
important measure of such innovation in a speech to the patent agents 
association. Hewitt and Intellect both speak of the 'poor record of 
innovation and productivity of the UK' and of the importance of 'attracting 
R&D investment' and 'the inward investment of large international companies'. 

<< "The more concern that ministers receive, in particular from organised 
bodies who represent the UK software industry, the more they'll have to look 
at this," Allan explained.>>

Does someone know who these bodies are, if they are actually making any waves 
and if they've really got a chance of out-influencing the Intellect body 
which seems to claim to represent the entire industry already? Not to mention 
the large foreign companies that would like to invest more in the UK (and 
Europe) if only the R&D climate was a bit more to their software patent 
encumbered liking.

I can understand the DTI's economic world-view and the perspective it gives 
them on software patentability. They are concerned only with the economic 
aspects and It is clear whose views they listen to with the greatest respect 
on such matters. I cannot see them being easily diverted from what looks to 
me like a coherent strategy which has included the enabling of swpats all 
along. 

Paul.