§ Mr. Gregoryasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer on 3 May, Official Report, by what dates he estimates outstanding applications to the Patent Office will be fully processed.
§ Mr. FletcherThe times taken to process applications vary widely from case to case depending on individual circumstances. For patents, there is a statutory period of four and a half years within which applications must be placed in order. There is no corresponding statutory period for trade marks or designs.