§ 8. Sir R. COOPERasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the fact that the 5 names of many chemicals formerly made by processes the patents for which have expired are registered as trade marks by alien enemies, who in this way have obtained a prolongation of the limited monopoly granted to inventors by the Statute of Monopolies and Patents Act; and whether he will take steps to see that the names referred to are made available to the public as speedily as possible?
Sir A. STANLEYAny person may apply to the Board of Trade under the provisions of the Trade Marks (Temporary) Rules, 1914, for the avoidance or suspension of the registration of any trade mark the proprietor whereof is a subject of any State at war with His Majesty. When any such application has been made and the Board have been satisfied that the trade mark is the only practicable name of an article manufactured under an expired patent, it has been their practice to make an Order avoiding the registration of the trade mark.
§ 9. Sir R. COOPERasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the names of patented articles become public property so soon as the patents expire under which the articles are manufactured; whether he is aware that the practice has arisen of registering as trade marks the names of patented articles, and thus preventing the free use by the public upon the expiry of the patent of the names of these articles; and, if so, whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?
Sir A. STANLEYI am aware of the abuse to which the hon. Baronet refers and propose to deal with it in a Trade Marks Bill which I hope to introduce shortly.