§ 44. Sir W. Wakefieldasked the President of the Board of Trade why the number of examiners in the Patent Office increased from 123 in 1951–52 to 157 in 1952–53, despite the fact that the rest of the staff fell from 857 to 799.
§ Mr. H. StraussThe 1952–53 forecast of staff requirements took into account the normal promotion from the basic grade of assistant examiner to that of examiner. The estimated decrease in the rest of the staff is due to a cause which gives my right hon. Friend much concern—namely, the continuing difficulty at the present time of recruiting staff, including assistant examiners, for the Patent Office.