5. Captain CROOKSHANKasked the President of the Board of Trade why the British subscription to the International Bureau at Berne for the protection of industrial property has this year been reduced, and that to the bureau for the protection of literary and artistic property has been increased; what are the functions of these bureaux; and whether, in view of our financial situation, our contribution to them will be withdrawn?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe answer is a rather long one, and my hon. and gallant Friend will perhaps agree to my circulating it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The estimate of the amount required this year for the British contribution 1027 towards the expenses of the Bureau or the International Union for the Protection of Industrial Property has been decreased by £10 to a total of £230, and the corresponding estimate relating to the Bureau of the International Union for the Protection of Literary and Artistic-Property has been increased by £10 to a total of £230. This expenditure is liable to small fluctuations from year to year, and the estimates are largely based on the amounts actually expended during the previous year. The functions of the bureaux are laid down in Article 13 of the Industrial Property Convention of 1911 (Cd.6805) and Article 22 of the revised Berne Copyright Convention of 1908 (Cd.6324), respectively. The obligation to contribute to the expenses of the bureaux is imposed by these Conventions, and withdrawal of the contributions would involve the withdrawal of this country from the Conventions, which confer valuable rights upon British patentees, trademark owners, authors, etc., in the foreign countries which are members of the respective Unions. I am not prepared to recommend any such withdrawal.