§ MR. HERBERT LEWISI beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that British patents are taken out at the risk of the applicants, it being left to every person to protect his own rights, and that Great Britain is the only country which issues patents without satisfactory proof that the inventions described have not been previously patented, and without examining specifications before they are filed; and whether, in view of the importance to British trade of encouraging invention, the Government will take the necessary steps to place the British inventor in a more satisfactory position in this respect.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI do not think the first paragraph of the hon. Member's question accurately states the position as regards the issue of patents, and certainly there are countries other than Great Britain which make no search for novelty. The subject of search among prior specifications has, however, engaged the attention of the Board of Trade, and I would refer the hon. Member to the Report of a Departmental Committee presented to Parliament this session. At present I am unable to make any statement as to legislative action on that Report.