§ 95. Mr. Wilson Harrisasked the Minister of Education the nature of the copyright in Basic English which His Majesty's Government has purchased; and what there is in Basic English that can be copyrighted.
§ Mr. George TomlinsonAs regards the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member the senior Burgess for Oxford University (Sir A. Salter) on 11th March, a copy of which I am sending him. I am advised that copyright can exist in a list of words, provided that its compilation involved skill or judgment or some sort of discrimination; that Mr. Ogden has undoubtedly expended skill, judgment and discrimination in the compilation of his list of words which form the foundation of the Basic English System, and that he had copyright in it.
§ 99. Mr. Wilson Harrisasked the Minister of Education whether the Basic English Foundation has yet been established; what will be its functions; and the number and character of its staff.
§ Mr. TomlinsonThe trust deed setting up the trust to be known as the Basic English Foundation will, I hope, be finally executed very shortly. The main object of the Foundation will be to propagate the teaching and study of Basic English as an international medium and thereby to increase the knowledge of 237W English among mankind. The staff employed will be partly administrative and clerical, and partly professional and technical, but I am not in a position to state the actual number.