§ 31. Mr. DAYasked the President of the Board of Trade the surplus of revenue over expenditure of the Patent Office for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date; and whether the staff of the Patent Office has been increased during the same period?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMAs regards the first part of the question, the surplus of receipts over expenditure for the Patent Office amounted to approximately £157,000 for the year 1929. As regards the second part of the question, the number of the examining staff of the Patent Office on the 1st January, 1929, was 239, and on the 1st January, 1930, 287, since when it has remained practically stationary, but I may add that the competitive examination from which the examining staff is to be strengthened has now taken place so that additional appointments will shortly be made.