§ 58. Sir H. NORMANasked the Lord Privy Seal if his attention has been called to the differences of official attitude adopted in the case of officers who made scientific inventions during the War; if he is aware that in some cases these inventions have been, or are about to be, published by the Department concerned for general use, whereas in other cases scientific methods developed by officers during their service with official assistance and at the public cost are now being exploited as privately owned patents by commercial companies, some of them being possibly master-patents of great value; and will he cause inquiry to be made into this matter and a consistent policy to be adopted?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe answer to the question is in the affirmative. The question has been under consideration by the different Government Departments concerned and two inter-departmental conferences have been held for its discussion. The Lord President of the Privy Council is about to appoint an inter-departmental Committee with the following terms of reference:—
1. To consider the methods of dealing with inventions made by workers aided or maintained from public funds, whether such workers be engaged (a) as research workers, or (b) in some other technical capacity, so as to give a fair reward to the inventor and thus encourage further effort, to secure the utilisation in industry of suitable inventions and to protect the national interest, and2. To outline a course of procedure in respect of inventions arising out of State-aided or supported work, which shall further these aims and be suitable for adoption by all Government Departments concerned.