Intellectual Property Bill [HL] Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate

Baroness Whitaker

Main Page: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)

Intellectual Property Bill [HL]

Baroness Whitaker Excerpts
Tuesday 11th June 2013

(11 years, 5 months ago)

Grand Committee
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text
Lord Howarth of Newport Portrait Lord Howarth of Newport
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

When the Minister comes to reply in a second, will he give the Committee some indication of the volume of order-making that he anticipates? If these orders are to be subject to the affirmative procedure, will we be meeting every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon?

Baroness Whitaker Portrait Baroness Whitaker
- Hansard - -

I add to noble Lords’ wariness of this power. I have a particular question. It seems to me that a sweeping power like this is particularly inappropriate when, as the noble Lord, Lord Howarth, said, we must create a balance between protection and innovation. It is very hard to achieve that by a virtual fiat by the state. Why in this case does he want this power?