§ MR. C. E. SCHWANN (Manchester, N.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that Section 22 of the Patent Act of 1883 does not specify any time within which a foreign patentee must work a, patent taken out by him in this country, or grant licences in default of working it, and the scale upon which he must work is not fixed, and in view of the great differences of opinion which exist as to the English method of granting patents as compared with the American system, would he consider the desirability of appointing a Select Committee of this House to examine the question and report, with a view to the making of such changes in the Patent Laws as might be shown to be equitable and practicable?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (MR. T. RITCHIE,) CroydonThe hon. Member proposes to open up the working of the whole of the Patent Laws in the investigation which he asks the 1263 Committee to undertake. Until it is proved by experience that Section 22 of the Act is insufficient to effect the working of patents taken out by foreigners in this country, I am not prepared to support a Motion for Select Committee.