HC Deb 25 August 1887 vol 319 cc1808-9
MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)

asked the Secretary to the Board of Trade, Whether the recommendations of the Patents Office Inquiry Committee, as regards the simplification of the system of examination of specifications, have been carried out; whether the publication of the arrears of Abridgments and Indexes has been resumed; and, whether anything has been definitively settled with regard to the staff and the internal regulation of the Patent Office?

MR. HANBURY (Preston)

also asked the hon. Gentleman, Whether the late superintendent of the Index at the Patent Office, Mr. Michel, died or resigned nearly three years ago, and that his salary of £800 a-year had since been annually voted by the House, and re-appeared this year on the Estimates although no successor had been appointed?

THE SECRETARY (Baron HENRY DE WORMS) (Liverpool, East Toxteth)

No definite arrangements have yet been made; but the alterations necessary in the Office are now under the consideration of the Treasury. With reference to the further Question of my hon. Friend the Member for Preston, I may say that the post held by the late Mr. Michel has not yet been filled up, pending the re-arrangement of the Office generally. For the same reason the active publication of the arrears of abridgment was stopped, as both these questions largely depended upon the Report of Lord Herschell's Committee on the Patent Office, of which I was a Member. The alterations necessary upon the Report of that Committee are, as I have already stated, under the consideration of the Treasury. The necessary amount is provided for in the Estimates, but has not been expended.

MR. HANBURY

asked how long this had been going on?

BARON HENRY DE WORMS

said, he could not say without making inquiry.

MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR

asked, Was the Treasury responsible?

THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. JACKSON) (Leeds, N.)

said, he could not admit that the Treasury was responsible for anything.