SIR ALFRED HICKMANN (Wolverhampton, W.)To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he proposes to put in force the provisions of the Patents Act of last Session.
(Answered by Mr. Gerald Balfour.) The part of the Act amending the Law as to the grant of compulsory licences came into force on the 18th December, 1902. As at present advised, Section 1, which deals with the examination of previous specifications in the United Kingdom, will come into operation early in 1905. During the interval a great deal of preliminary work has to be done 19 in connection with the completion of the illustrated abridgments, the arrangement of the material of search, and the increase and re-organisation of the staff of the Patent Office. This work is now proceeding.