§ SIR JOHN LENG (Dundee)To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will state what provision is made by the Patent Acts and the regulations of the Board of Trade for granting compulsory licences for the manufacture of articles in the United Kingdom under British patents; what number of compulsory licences have been obtained through application to the Board of Trade for the manufacture of articles under British pa tents granted to persons residing abroad; and what is the total number of compulsory licences for British patents.
(Answered by Mr. Gerald Balfour.) The provisions now in force relating to the grant of the licences referred to are contained in Section 3 of the Patents Act, 1902, and Rules 69 to 75 of the Patents Rules, 1903. No licences have yet been granted under these provisions; but two applications for such licences are pending. Under Section 22 of the Patents, etc. Act, 1883, and the Rules formerly in force there under, two licences were granted, of which one was in respect of a British patent owned by a person resident abroad.