§ 2.45 p.m.
§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (VISCOUNT JOWITT)My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time. The Bill seeks to consolidate the law relating to patents. The principal Act to be consolidated is the Patents and Designs Act, 1907. That Act has been amended on a considerable number of occasions, and your Lordships will recall that substantial amendments to the Act, and many new provisions relating to patents, were enacted this year in the Patents and Designs Act, 1949. The Acts of 1907 and 1949 both deal with registered designs as well as patents, and the present Bill deals with the parts of those Acts relating to patents. It is sought to 1097 consolidate separately the provisions relating to registered designs. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and referred to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills.