• The call for evidence will close on Sunday 13 June
• Already 100,000 women, organisations, clinicians and carers have responded so far

Women from Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those living in the Midlands and East of England and women between 16 and 18 years old and those over-50 are being urged to respond to the government’s call for evidence.

There has already been an incredible response to the call for evidence, with over 100,000 women, organisations, clinicians and carers sharing their experiences of the health and care system, to help inform the first ever government-led Women’s Health Strategy.

The Health and Social Care Secretary, and the Minister for Women’s Health are urging women to respond before the call for evidence closes on Sunday 13 June to enable as many women as possible to have their say and capture a variety of views on access to services, experiences and health outcomes.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, said:

I am committed to making sure women’s health and wellbeing needs are being met – and we need your help to do this.

100,000 responses is incredible and I am grateful for everyone who has taken the time to share their thoughts with us. Women’s experiences are diverse and it’s crucial we make sure this strategy is representative of all the challenges they face and that we are meeting all of their needs.

This is the final push – there are only a few days left so I urge you to keep spreading this message and keep responding to our call for evidence.

Minister for Women’s Health Nadine Dorries said:

We’ve already had a phenomenal response to our call for evidence and I want to thank everyone who has shared their invaluable and insightful experiences. We are opening up conversations and breaking down taboos to make sure the healthcare system is meeting women’s needs.

However these early findings highlight the low response rate from some groups of women.

There’s only a few days left – I urge every woman to respond to the call for evidence if they haven’t done so already, and I encourage them to tell their friends and family – it’s crucial this strategy works for all women and recognises their variety of experiences.

Let’s finally make our voices heard. Let’s talk about women’s health.

As well as health issues specific to women, the strategy will look at the different ways in which women experience health issues that affect both women and men. Women with health conditions such as diabetes, heart conditions, osteoarthritis, are also being urged to share how their condition has affected them.

Women are being encouraged to share their experiences as well as their priorities for a Women’s Health Strategy, designed to increase the health and wellbeing outcomes of women in England.

The call for evidence has been designed to be user friendly, quick to fill in and easily accessible from people’s mobiles. People who live with and care for women, organisations with experience of providing services for women and those with an expertise in women’s health are also encouraged to share their views.

Read the Women’s Health Strategy: Call for Evidence

The 6 core-themes included in the call for evidence are:

• placing women’s voices at the centre of their health and care – how the health and care system engages with and listens to women at the individual level as well as at the system level
• improving the quality and accessibility of information and education on women’s health – women having access to high-quality information when they need to make a decision, increasing health literacy, as well as increasing awareness and understanding of women’s health conditions among clinicians
• ensuring the health and care system understands and is responsive to women’s health and care needs across the life course – supporting women to maximise their health across their lives, and ensuring services are designed to maximise benefits for women
• maximising women’s health in the workplace – deepening our understanding of how women’s health issues can affect their workforce participation and outcomes, both with regards to female-specific issues such as the menopause, but also conditions that are more prevalent in women such as musculoskeletal conditions, depression or anxiety
• ensuring that research, evidence and data support improvements in women’s health – inclusion of women and women’s health in research and data collection and how that information is used, and driving participation in clinical trials to support improvements in women’s health
• understanding and responding to the impacts of COVID-19 on women’s health – supporting women through the unique challenges they’ve faced during the pandemic

There is strong evidence of the need for greater focus on women’s health:

Although female life expectancy is higher than men in the UK, women on average spend less of their life in good health compared with men. Female life expectancy in this country has been improving more slowly than male life expectancy since the 1980s.

Less is known about conditions that only affect women, including common gynaecological conditions which can have severe impacts on health and wellbeing, but for which there is currently little treatment. A key example of this is endometriosis with the average time for a woman to receive a diagnosis being 7 to 8 years, and with 40% of women needing 10 or more GP appointments before being referred to a specialist.

There is also evidence that the impact of female-specific health conditions such as heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis, pregnancy-related issues and the menopause on women’s lives is overlooked. This includes the effect they can have on women’s workforce participation, productivity, and outcomes.

High-quality research and evidence is essential to delivering improvements in women’s health, yet studies suggest gender biases in clinical trials and research are contributing to worse health outcomes for women. Although women make up 51% of the population, there is less evidence and data on how conditions affect women differently. A University of Leeds study showed women with a total blockage of a coronary artery were 59% more likely to be misdiagnosed than men and found that UK women had more than double the rate of death in the 30 days following heart attack compared with men.

Young people will have the chance to send their own small satellite into space as a competition to inspire the next generation of British space scientists and entrepreneurs launches today (9 June 2021).

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps was at Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall today to announce the contest, which is looking for nanosatellite designs that can help support the UK’s ambitious decarbonisation targets.

Nanosatellites are small satellites that can be used to gather scientific data, such as on climate change, as well as improving data for satellite navigation systems – making journeys better for everyone across Britain.

The £600,000 prize fund will mean the winner can further develop or build their satellite, making it launch-ready, with the potential for it to be launched into space from UK soil.

In 2022, the UK is set to become the first country in Europe to host small satellite launches, with Spaceport Cornwall, in Newquay, set to be the first operational spaceport.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:

As hosts of the G7 and with the first space launches from British soil firmly within our grasp, I want to support the UK’s brightest minds and creative ideas to launch this exciting competition.

This will help to secure a future spaceflight legacy for Great Britain, by inspiring young adults to build the skills needed to work within this growing sector.

With its ambition to double the UK’s global market share of the space sector to 10% by 2030, Britain’s space exploration programme is set to create new high-skilled jobs and economic benefits for communities and organisations across the country.

As international leaders convene in Cornwall for the G7 Summit, the government is accelerating its vision for the UK to be at the global forefront of small satellite launch and emerging space transportation markets.

Science Minister Amanda Solloway said:

We are committed to putting British innovation at the heart of the global effort to understand and minimise the effects of climate change, cementing our position as a science superpower and helping us to build back greener from the pandemic.

As we anticipate with excitement the first satellite launches from British soil next year, this competition gives young people across the UK an opportunity to be part of our country’s thriving space sector and shape a better future for everyone.

NOTIFICATIONS UNDER PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT

Thank you Chair,

As we have outlined at previous Council sessions, the UK has been undergoing a process of notifying all its applicable IP related domestic legislation, in accordance with Article 63.2 of the TRIPS Agreement. This is an essential exercise given our continued support for the multilateral rules-based trading system, the WTO’s role in it, as well as the importance the United Kingdom attaches to TRIPS transparency arrangements and the benefits a transparent IP regime brings for the growth of IP intensive industries.

Since the last formal Council session in March, members will have received reports of the last of these historic notifications, and we thank members for their patience in receiving our notifications over a number of months. We are pleased to announce we have now finalised updating our historic notifications and we encourage other WTO members to notify the TRIPS Council of their domestic IP changes. The UK stands ready to assist any member who may require assistance in doing so.

We would like to thank the Secretariat again for their patience and support throughout this process, and for the efficiency of the eTRIPS system.

Thank you Chair.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND INNOVATION: SUMMARY ON THE 2020 THEME – MAKING MSMES COMPETITIVE THROUGH IP AND INNOVATION

Thank you Chair,

The United Kingdom would like to thank the US and the co-sponsors for preparing this paper, summarising the last year’s activity from the Friends of IP and Innovation Group, focused on IP and MSMEs. We are pleased to co-sponsor and to have the opportunity in past sessions and today to add our voice to those delegations that see this work and MSMEs as important in the overall innovation ecosystem.

The UK considers that creative and innovative enterprises are vital to a strong economy, and MSMEs often represent the most innovative and agile businesses.

It is undeniably vital that these businesses’ success is complimented by an enabling and effective intellectual property framework.

Over the last year we have listened with interest to other members’ experiences in this area, from how critical MSMEs are, to how IP can support and foster their success, and how governments can create an environment to aid this.

A key aspect for the UK was the theme of building awareness among MSMEs of the benefits of IP to their business, notably the example that some MSMEs may not have sought protections due to a lack of awareness or assumptions that processes to achieve this would be expensive or difficult. Therefore, hearing examples of members’ experiences relating to outreach and education efforts form members, and the encouragement of the development of IP strategies as a core business function were especially helpful.

We also noted with interest the increasing focus on green tech innovation, how both businesses and governments see this as a vital area of significance, and how MSMEs can benefit from a range of initiatives and tools that members have been putting in place encourage innovation in the green space.

We fully agree that MSMEs are critical to bringing innovative solutions to real-world challenges, as well as overall economic health, and would like to reiterate that while the significance of MSMES to economies is increasingly recognised, it is now more important than ever that we look at ways to bolster the capacity and health of MSMEs. The UK would again like to thank the US and other members of the Group for presenting this paper, as well as for their contributions throughout this fascinating theme.

Thank you, Chair.

INTELLECTUL PROPERTY AND INNOVTION: IP FOR INVESTMENT / FINANCE/ FUNDING

Chair, the UK delegation expresses gratitude to the co-sponsors of this agenda item and the accompanying document. We are grateful to see this Council discussing a topic of high importance to businesses, especially MSMEs, and to the innovation and creativity ecosystem as a whole.

We would like to thank the co-sponsors for entrusting us with giving an introduction, which we will do together with sharing experiences of the United Kingdom. We hope it serves as a catalyst for interesting conversation around the area of finance and intellectual property. The paper seeks to explore, in the context of the importance of financing to businesses, the different ways IP can be leveraged for growth and sustainability. It covers different forms of financing available, as well as potential support governments can provide.

Given this somewhat uncharted territory, the exploration in this paper poses a number of questions, and we look to others’ experiences to perhaps provide some of the answers. These questions include: what are the experiences of businesses using IP to raise finance internationally; measures taken by members that have supported businesses in their commercialization of IP; and how awareness of the benefits of IP could be raised with finance providers.

Intellectual property assets have long been recognized as just that – assets. But valuing IP is not an easy task. For example, how much is your brand name worth after years of marketing. Valuing IP assets can be especially difficult if they are innovative – and therefore novel and untested.

Further, intellectual property rights may change in value over time. For example, a patent may become less valuable as other solutions to the problem may be found, or a trade mark gain value as it becomes more widely recognised.

These shifting values mean businesses will benefit from regularly taking stock of their IP assets – an ‘IP Audit’ – that will allow them to:

1. Identify the products and services that are crucial to business.
2. Identify IP assets and the legal rights associated with them.
3. Identify what market advantage these rights give.

…and thereby value IP assets as they would physical assets.

The world’s five most valuable companies are worth £3.5 trillion together but their balance sheets report just £172 billion of tangible assets – so 95% of their value is in the form of intangible assets, including intellectual property, data and other knowledge assets.

Too often, IP-rich firms find it difficult to collateralize their investments to unlock future growth funding, especially when compared with those firms holding more conventional assets.

So, we have to ask if there is a mismatch between the potential value created by companies with strong intellectual property portfolios and the investment opportunities afforded by investors.

In the UK, evidence suggests that there are fewer than 5000 IP valuation reports commissioned per annum, and the market is somewhat underdeveloped versus what might be considered optimal.

It should be possible to bring more clarity to the subject of IP asset valuation so that investors and innovators can benefit from asset value as collateral for innovation.

The focus of government support should be to make it easier to maximize the return on IP through better knowledge, information flows, access to finance, insurance, and trading mechanisms, such as the UK government’s IP for Investment toolkit and IP Audit programs, for businesses seeking equity finance to grow – supporting identifying IP assets and their relationship to growth and providing guidance on ‘investor readiness’. This could incentivise the creation of new ideas, increase the share that is commercialised, and thus contribute to innovative activity, which will benefit the wider economy through further innovation where firms are able to collateralise their intellectual property.

Whilst there are no easy solutions within this complex set of interactions between businesses and financial institutions, it’s valuable to identify where potential obstacles lie and improving our understanding and use of IP assets as a fundamental driver of economic growth.

For the U.K., the growth in investment in intangibles, such as those protected by intellectual property, has been substantial. Between 1997 and 2016, investments in intangibles increased by 87% from ￡71.91 billion British pounds to ￡134.29 billion.

In 2016, almost half of the assets U.K. firms invested in were intangible knowledge assets, rather than tangible assets.

There is no single market-wide or agreed methodology for valuing IP. Without a consensus approach, it is difficult to independently verify the value attributed to a piece of IP. Unsurprisingly, one survey [a 2010 survey] showed that only 3% to 4% of SMEs had ever tried to assess the value of their IP.

However, some innovative, independent companies in the U.K. are bridging the gap between financial and intellectual assets by developing their own expertise in valuation and its realisation – such as the UK-based commercialisation company, IP Group, which has focused on linking university-originated research with investors through carefully considered IP asset valuation and development.

IP represents a global growth area, and those who are prepared to invest can prosper from this – we hope that others can join the conversation on how to further enable this for the future.

Again, we thank other members for their support, and look forward to hearing the views of other cosponsors on their national experiences in this area.

SECOND STATEMENT: INTELLECTUL PROPERTY AND INNOVTION: IP FOR INVESTMENT / FINANCE/ FUNDING

Thank you Chair for giving me the floor again. I would like to thank all of the delegations who have given a statement under this item today.

We have heard a lot of focus on MSMEs and this links well to the last year’s theme focusing on this category of businesses. The growing amount of knowledge in the space of IP and growing understanding of the functioning of the IP ecosystem is especially valuable together with the eTRIPS platform and its searchable database.

We also agree with the delegations who noted the benefits of collaboration with the WIPO, particularly its relatively new IP and Innovations Ecosystems Sector.

A number of additional questions have also been raised, for example elements around securitisation, the differences between IP evaluation and valuation, as well as the role of enforcement.

I would also like to thanks delegations for sharing their specific national experience, projects and programmes in this area important and relevant to innovative and creative businesses.

We think this was a useful discussion and look forward to further conversations in the future.

Thank you Chair.

PROPOSAL FOR A WAIVER FROM CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE TRIPS AGREEMENT FOR THE PREVENTION, CONTAINMENT AND TREATMENT OF COVID-19 (DELIVERED BY AMBASSADOR SIMON MANLEY)

Thank you, Chair.

First of all, I’d like to thank the proponents for submitting their revised proposal to this Council. We recognise the passion around these issues and we note the changes made and have considered whether these address legitimate concerns raised by the UK and others in previous TRIPS Council sessions.

The UK will continue to engage constructively on this issue. We don’t think, however, that the amended proposal does address the questions asked by the UK and indeed has raised further concerns on how a waiver would genuinely help us scale up and speed up the production and distribution of Covid-19 supplies for the prevention, treatment, and containment of Covid-19.

Overall, we fear that the revised text doesn’t bring members’ positions closer together. The text strongly suggests that the international IP system is a barrier when we still have not seen evidence of it being the case. All of us recognise the rapid action required to accomplish our shared aim of tackling Covid-19; therefore, we consider it important to concentrate efforts on pragmatic solutions and steps to resolve issues surrounding vaccine equity.

Fundamentally, we remain to be convinced how an IP waiver, if agreed, would increase the supply of Covid-19 goods. To date, we have still not seen evidence demonstrating intellectual property as a limiting factor in either the production or the supply of Covid-19 goods. For example, some WTO members already have the policy flexibility to operate without being subject to the obligations under the provisions of the TRIPS Agreement under discussion. At the same time, some of these members have reported having manufacturing capacity. We are curious to understand why immediate production has not happened in these countries on that basis.

Voluntary licensing and technology transfer partnerships are making real, positive impact on vaccine delivery, as exemplified by the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine with its numerous partnerships around the world. These partnerships have enabled the delivery of more than half a billion doses to 168 countries around the world, including 96% of total COVAX supply. We know that we need to do more. We continue to encourage and work to facilitate more partnerships like this one and once again call on members with eligible manufacturing capacity to come forward to scale up supply. Whilst we cannot overstate the role industry has played, further work is required. British Ministers are continuing to engage with the sector and are pushing them to deliver concrete proposals to further scale up supply of Covid-19 goods.

This pandemic is not over and sadly may not be the last one, so we must also consider the long-term consequences of potential short-term action on IP. A key priority for the UK is ensuring the multilateral IP system remains fit-for-purpose to respond both to current and future crises by continuing to encourage innovation and its dissemination. Without that, new vaccines for new pandemics will simply not be developed. The UK believes TRIPS flexibilities are legitimate tools to access Covid-19 goods and should be used where needed. We welcome news of members who have begun exploring this avenue, including in yesterday’s event. I’d like to thank the EU for its communication. We welcome the introduction of such additional options for consideration and we’d welcome the opportunity to offer fuller comments in due course.

The recent communiques from the G20 and G7 affirm the shared commitment to finding effective solutions within the multilateral rules-based system. Ensuring targeted and sensible principles focused on addressing trade and health concerns has been a key priority for us during our Chairmanship of the G7. As the G7 trade ministers’ made clear in their communique of 28 May, we will continue to support work at the WTO in identifying solutions to expand global vaccine production and distribution. Working with industry, the COVAX Manufacturing Taskforce and the ACT-A Manufacturing Working Group, we will scale up capacity and engage on forward supply planning. Further to this, we will support open, diversified, secure, and resilient supply chains in the manufacture of Covid-19 critical goods, vaccines and their components, as well as welcoming the termination of many trade restrictive measures. Looking towards the future, we will also work in partnership with our G7 partners to formulate pragmatic, effective, and holistic solutions to support trade in health ahead of and at MC12. We believe these actions can best guide measures to increase supply access to Covid-19 technologies. We look forward to reporting back to members on the conclusions of this weekend’s G7 Summit in Cornwall. Glad to say that the WTO and WHO DGs will be participating in these discussions.

The UK has worked with the WHO on developing C-TAP, including with key partners such as the United Nations Development Programme, the Medicines Patent Pool and Cambridge Enterprise, to share our approach to model licenses for sharing of IP. A useful next step for C-TAP would be the WHO working even more closely with governments to demonstrate how to incentivise industry players to participate in the scheme. We encourage further engagement by members in the C-TAP space, as well as drawing on expertise from WIPO and WHO via the trilateral cooperation framework.

We need to focus on pragmatic practical solutions that will actively address blockers to vaccine equity – solutions that will speed up of tariffs on ingredients and production tools, production bottlenecks and supply chain issues such as specialised raw material shortages. Solutions that ensure that available doses are effectively distributed and administered, whilst continuing to scale up existing and new vaccine production. Solutions which deliver real world change, quickly, effectively, equitably.

Thank you, Chair.

EXTENSION OF THE TRANSITION PERIOD UNDER ARTICLE 66.1 OF THE TRIPS AGREEMENT FOR LDC MEMBERS

Thank you, Chair.

The United Kingdom would like to thank delegations for their contributions to advance progress in reaching consensus on an extension of the LDC transition period to implement the TRIPS Agreement.

However, these discussions have not brought the members’ positions closer together. As many have noted, the deadline to reach an agreement on an extension is rapidly approaching and reaching consensus must be a priority for all Members. We therefore call upon Members to further intensify discussions so that the TRIPS Council can agree an extension as soon as possible.

The UK stands ready to work with all Members over the coming days and weeks in order to achieve this goal.

Thank you, Chair.

Today (Wednesday 9 June) the UK Government is launching a refreshed GREAT campaign as the UK prepares to take centre stage for the G7 and COP 26 summits this year.

The GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign is the UK’s international brand marketing campaign, which works closely with UK businesses, not-for-profit organisations and high-profile figures to promote the best of the UK abroad. It has already brought in over £4.5bn since its initial launch in 2011, by increasing exports from UK food and drink through to British music and film, as well as driving inward foreign direct investment and supporting thousands of jobs.

The revitalised campaign will reach people in over 145 countries right across the globe – from Shanghai and San Francisco, to Toronto and Tokyo – showcasing the very best of British in everything from science and technology to sustainability, culture, and creativity. It is backed with an annual budget of £60 million.

At its core, the refreshed campaign will further promote Britain as dynamic, outward looking, confident and collaborative – bringing unconventional thinking to the global challenges we face. Its mission is to reinvigorate our global partnerships as we pull together to build back better from the pandemic.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

The UK is steeped in a long and dynamic history of discovery and fresh ideas, powered by our ability to see and do things differently.

It is this spirit that the world needs now more than ever as we confront the challenges of Covid, tackle climate change, and strive for a better future for everyone on our planet.

And I believe that it’s precisely that spirit that puts the ‘great’ into Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove said

The new GREAT campaign will bang the drum for a confident, global and talented United Kingdom; highlighting the innovators, the thinkers and the doers from the Highlands to the South Downs and from Welsh Valleys across to Giants Causeway.

This campaign demonstrates that when we pull together – we can make a crucial difference to the world and the challenges it faces.

Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said:

We have a fantastically competitive League, which is broadcast worldwide bringing millions of fans together each week to watch and celebrate the competition, wherever they are. The Premier League’s global appeal is a reflection of the people who make it – from the players who provide the excitement and drama on the pitch to the supporters who create such a vibrant atmosphere.

We are very proud of the role the Premier League plays in promoting the UK and we look forward to continuing our longstanding support for the GREAT campaign.

Ian Stuart, CEO of HSBC UK, said:

HSBC UK is proud to partner with the GREAT campaign to promote the UK across the world. The UK’s prosperity is substantially driven by its ability to collaborate internationally, and I believe the refreshed GREAT campaign will play a huge role in generating economic growth for our country.

The refreshed campaign will place the pinnacle of UK talent – its companies, people and organisations at the front and centre of international markets. It will aim to demonstrate the spirit, ingenuity and unique thinking that brought the life-saving Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine to the world.

Our more than 850 partners include:

• Scotland based MacRebur®, who helps solve two world problems through their innovative recycling technology; tackling the waste plastic epidemic, and enhancing the asphalt used to make our road surfaces around the world.
• Northern Ireland based Environmental Street Furniture (ESF), a global supplier of integrated technology; such as solar powered street furniture, hygiene Covid-19 response products, Solar LED Lighting, Defibrillator cabinets, digital signage, and safe lighting columns.
• Wales’ Caws Cenarth Cheese – An award-winning cheese exporter offering the best of British quality that has been bought, eaten and loved in Canada, France and sold in high-end delicatessens in Japan – straight from their farm in West Wales.

This campaign will run alongside and compliment the ambitious trade negotiations the UK is undertaking with our international partners. The UK has already agreed trade deals with 67 countries plus the EU, that account for £730bn of UK bilateral trade in 2020.

More information about the GREAT campaign can be found at greatbritaincampaign.com.