§ '(1) A person holding an authorisation granted by the Secretary of State under the provisions of this section is an authorised person for the purpose of carrying on the business of acting as agent for others for the purpose of—
- (a) applying for or obtaining patents, in the United Kingdom or elsewhere, or
- (b) conducting proceedings before the comptroller relating to applications for, or otherwise in connection with, patents.
§ (2) An application for authorisation by the Secretary of State may be made by an individual, partnership or body corporate.
§ (3) The Secretary of State may make rules:—
- (a) regulating the manner in which any such application shall be made and any authorisation granted, and providing for the withdrawal, termination or suspension of any such authorisation, and
- (b) regulating the competence, professional practice, conduct and discipline of authorised persons.
§ (4) Without prejudice to the generality of the preceding subsection, rules under this section shall:—
- (a) prescribe minimum standards of general education that must have been obtained by persons who seek to hold an authorisation,
- (b) prescribe any education or training to be undergone by persons who seek to hold an authorisation,
- (c) require authorised persons to take out and maintain insurance with authorised insurers, and prescribe conditions which an insurance policy must satisfy, and
- (d) provide for a fund to indemnify members of the public against any losses incurred as a result of the advice or actions of authorised persons.
§ (5) In subsection (4), "authorised insurers" means a person permitted under the Insurance Companies Act 1982 to carry on:—
- (a) insurance business of class 13 in Schedule 2 to that Act; or
- (b) insurance business of classes 1,2, 14, 15, 16 and 17 in that Schedule.
§ (6) Rules under this section shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.'.—[Mr. Blair.]
§ Brought up, and read the First time.
§ Motion made and Question put, That the clause be read a Second time:—
§ The House divided: Ayes 130, Noes 223.
105| Division No. 442] | [8.18 pm |
| AYES | |
| Allen, Graham | Illsley, Eric |
| Anderson, Donald | Ingram, Adam |
| Archer, Rt Hon Peter | Janner, Greville |
| Ashdown, Paddy | Kirkwood, Archy |
| Ashton, Joe | Lamond, James |
| Barnes, Harry (Derbyshire NE) | Leighton, Ron |
| Barron, Kevin | Litherland, Robert |
| Beckett, Margaret | Lloyd, Tony (Stretford) |
| Bennett, A. F. (D'nt'n & R'dish) | Loyden, Eddie |
| Bermingham, Gerald | McAllion, John |
| Bidwell, Sydney | McAvoy, Thomas |
| Blair, Tony | McKelvey, William |
| Boyes, Roland | McLeish, Henry |
| Bradley, Keith | McWilliam, John |
| Bray, Dr Jeremy | Madden, Max |
| Brown, Nicholas (Newcastle E) | Mahon, Mrs Alice |
| Bruce, Malcolm (Gordon) | Marek, Dr John |
| Buchan, Norman | Martin, Michael J. (Springburn) |
| Buckley, George J. | Martlew, Eric |
| Caborn, Richard | Meacher, Michael |
| Campbell, Ron (Blyth Valley) | Meale, Alan |
| Campbell-Savours, D. N. | Michael, Alun |
| Clark, Dr David (S Shields) | Michie, Bill (Sheffield Heeley) |
| Clarke, Tom (Monklands W) | Millan, Rt Hon Bruce |
| Clay, Bob | Mitchell, Austin (G't Grimsby) |
| Clwyd, Mrs Ann | Molyneaux, Rt Hon James |
| Cohen, Harry | Morgan, Rhodri |
| Corbett, Robin | Morley, Elliott |
| Cousins, Jim | Morris, Rt Hon A. (W'shawe) |
| Crowther, Stan | Mowlam, Marjorie |
| Cryer, Bob | Mullin, Chris |
| Cummings, John | Murphy, Paul |
| Cunliffe, Lawrence | O'Brien, William |
| Darling, Alistair | Patchett, Terry |
| Davies, Ron (Caerphilly) | Pike, Peter L. |
| Davis, Terry (B'ham Hodge H'l) | Powell, Ray (Ogmore) |
| Dewar, Donald | Prescott, John |
| Dixon, Don | Quin, Ms Joyce |
| Dobson, Frank | Rees, Rt Hon Merlyn |
| Doran, Frank | Roberts, Allan (Bootle) |
| Dunwoody, Hon Mrs Gwyneth | Ross, Ernie (Dundee W) |
| Eadie, Alexander | Rowlands, Ted |
| Eastham, Ken | Sheerman, Barry |
| Evans, John (St Helens N) | Short, Clare |
| Ewing, Harry (Falkirk E) | Skinner, Dennis |
| Ewing, Mrs Margaret (Moray) | Smith, Andrew (Oxford E) |
| Fields, Terry (L'pool B G'n) | Smith, C. (Isl'ton & F'bury) |
| Fisher, Mark | Smyth, Rev Martin (Belfast S) |
| Flynn, Paul | Spearing, Nigel |
| Foot, Rt Hon Michael | Taylor, Matthew (Truro) |
| Foster, Derek | Turner, Dennis |
| Fraser, John | Vaz, Keith |
| Galloway, George | Wall, Pat |
| Garrett, Ted (Wallsend) | Wallace, James |
| George, Bruce | Wardell, Gareth (Gower) |
| Godman, Dr Norman A. | Welsh, Andrew (Angus E) |
| Golding, Mrs Llin | Welsh, Michael (Doncaster N) |
| Griffiths, Win (Bridgend) | Wigley, Dafydd |
| Grocott, Bruce | Williams, Rt Hon Alan |
| Haynes, Frank | Williams, Alan W. (Carm'then) |
| Hinchliffe, David | Wilson, Brian |
| Hogg, N. (C'nauld & Kilsyth) | Winnick, David |
| Hoyle, Doug | Worthington, Tony |
| Hughes, Robert (Aberdeen N) | |
| Hughes, Roy (Newport E) | Tellers for the Ayes: |
| Hughes, Sean (Knowsley S) | Mr. Allen McKay and Mr. Robert N. Wareing. |
| Hughes, Simon (Southwark) |
| NOES | |
| Alexander, Richard | Atkinson, David |
| Alison, Rt Hon Michael | Baker, Nicholas (Dorset N) |
| Amess, David | Baldry, Tony |
| Arbuthnot, James | Banks, Robert (Harrogate) |
| Arnold, Jacques (Gravesham) | Batiste, Spencer |
| Arnold, Tom (Hazel Grove) | Beaumont-Dark, Anthony |
| Ashby, David | Bellingham, Henry |
| Aspinwall, Jack | Bennett, Nicholas (Pembroke) |
| Atkins, Robert | Benyon, W. |
| Bevan, David Gilroy | Heathcoat-Amory, David |
| Biggs-Davison, Sir John | Heddle, John |
| Blackburn, Dr John G. | Heseltine, Rt Hon Michael |
| Bonsor, Sir Nicholas | Hicks, Robert (Cornwall SE) |
| Boswell, Tim | Higgins, Rt Hon Terence L. |
| Bottomley, Peter | Hill, James |
| Bowden, A (Brighton K'pto'n) | Hind, Kenneth |
| Bowden, Gerald (Dulwich) | Howard, Michael |
| Bowis, John | Howarth, Alan (Strat'd-on-A) |
| Braine, Rt Hon Sir Bernard | Howarth, G. (Cannock & B'wd) |
| Brandon-Bravo, Martin | Howe, Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey |
| Brazier, Julian | Hughes, Robert G. (Harrow W) |
| Bright, Graham | Hunt, David (Wirral W) |
| Brown, Michael (Brigg & Cl't's) | Hunt, John (Ravensbourne) |
| Browne, John (Winchester) | Hunter, Andrew |
| Bruce, Ian (Dorset South) | Irvine, Michael |
| Buck, Sir Antony | Irving, Charles |
| Budgen, Nicholas | Jack, Michael |
| Burt, Alistair | Janman, Tim |
| Butcher, John | Jessel, Toby |
| Butler, Chris | Johnson Smith, Sir Geoffrey |
| Butterfill, John | Jones, Gwilym (Cardiff N) |
| Carlisle, John, (Luton N) | Jones, Robert B (Herts W) |
| Carrington, Matthew | Kellett-Bowman, Dame Elaine |
| Carttiss, Michael | King, Roger (B'ham N'thfield) |
| Channon, Rt Hon Paul | Knapman, Roger |
| Chapman, Sydney | Knight, Greg (Derby North) |
| Chope, Christopher | Knight, Dame Jill (Edgbaston) |
| Churchill, Mr | Knowles, Michael |
| Clark, Hon Alan (Plym'th S'n) | Knox, David |
| Coombs, Anthony (Wyre F'rest) | Lang, Ian |
| Coombs, Simon (Swindon) | Latham, Michael |
| Cope, Rt Hon John | Lawrence, Ivan |
| Couchman, James | Lee, John (Pendle) |
| Cran, James | Lennox-Boyd, Hon Mark |
| Currie, Mrs Edwina | Lester, Jim (Broxtowe) |
| Curry, David | Lightbown, David |
| Day, Stephen | Lilley, Peter |
| Devlin, Tim | Lloyd, Peter (Fareham) |
| Dickens, Geoffrey | Lord, Michael |
| Douglas-Hamilton, Lord James | Lyell, Sir Nicholas |
| Dover, Den | McCrindle, Robert |
| Durant, Tony | Macfarlane, Sir Neil |
| Evans, David (Welwyn Hatf'd) | MacKay, Andrew (E Berkshire) |
| Fallon, Michael | McLoughlin, Patrick |
| Favell, Tony | McNair-Wilson, Sir Michael |
| Fenner, Dame Peggy | McNair-Wilson, P. (New Forest) |
| Fishburn, Dudley | Major, Rt Hon John |
| Fookes, Miss Janet | Malins, Humfrey |
| Forman, Nigel | Mans, Keith |
| Forth, Eric | Maples, John |
| Fox, Sir Marcus | Marshall, John (Hendon S) |
| Franks, Cecil | Marshall, Michael (Arundel) |
| Freeman, Roger | Martin, David (Portsmouth S) |
| French, Douglas | Maude, Hon Francis |
| Fry, Peter | Maxwell-Hyslop, Robin |
| Gale, Roger | Meyer, Sir Anthony |
| Gardiner, George | Miller, Sir Hal |
| Garel-Jones, Tristan | Mills, Iain |
| Gill, Christopher | Miscampbell, Norman |
| Goodlad, Alastair | Mitchell, Andrew (Gedling) |
| Goodson-Wickes, Dr Charles | Moate, Roger |
| Gorman, Mrs Teresa | Monro, Sir Hector |
| Gow, Ian | Montgomery, Sir Fergus |
| Gower, Sir Raymond | Morris, M (N'hampton S) |
| Greenway, John (Ryedale) | Morrison, Sir Charles |
| Gregory, Conal | Morrison, Rt Hon P (Chester) |
| Griffiths, Sir Eldon (Bury St E') | Moss, Malcolm |
| Griffiths, Peter (Portsmouth N) | Moynihan, Hon Colin |
| Ground, Patrick | Mudd, David |
| Hamilton, Neil (Tatton) | Neale, Gerrard |
| Hanley, Jeremy | Neubert, Michael |
| Hannam, John | Newton, Rt Hon Tony |
| Hargreaves, A. (B'ham H'll Gr') | Nicholls, Patrick |
| Hargreaves, Ken (Hyndburn) | Nicholson, David (Taunton) |
| Harris, David | Nicholson, Emma (Devon West) |
| Haselhurst, Alan | Onslow, Rt Hon Cranley |
| Hawkins, Christopher | Page, Richard |
| Hayes, Jerry | Paice, James |
| Hayward, Robert | Patnick, Irvine |
| Peacock, Mrs Elizabeth | Stern, Michael |
| Porter, Barry (Wirral S) | Stewart, Andy (Sherwood) |
| Porter, David (Waveney) | Sumberg, David |
| Portillo, Michael | Summerson, Hugo |
| Powell, William (Corby) | Taylor, John M (Solihull) |
| Price, Sir David | Thompson, D. (Calder Valley) |
| Rathbone, Tim | Thorne, Neil |
| Redwood, John | Thurnham, Peter |
| Riddick, Graham | Townend, John (Bridlington) |
| Ridley, Rt Hon Nicholas | Tredinnick, David |
| Ridsdale, Sir Julian | Waddington, Rt Hon David |
| Roberts, Wyn (Conwy) | Ward, John |
| Rost, Peter | Wardle, Charles (Bexhill) |
| Ryder, Richard | Watts, John |
| Sackville, Hon Tom | Wheeler, John |
| Shaw, David (Dover) | Widdecombe, Ann |
| Shaw, Sir Giles (Pudsey) | Winterton, Mrs Ann |
| Shaw, Sir Michael (Scarb') | Winterton, Nicholas |
| Shelton, William (Streatham) | Wood, Timothy |
| Shephard, Mrs G. (Norfolk SW) | Woodcock, Mike |
| Shepherd, Colin (Hereford) | |
| Sims, Roger | Tellers for the Noes: |
| Skeet, Sir Trevor | Mr. Stephen Dorrell and Mr. David Maclean. |
| Speller, Tony | |
| Spicer, Michael (S Worcs) |
§ Question accordingly negatived.