HC Deb 09 February 1988 vol 127 cc145-6W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he will publish as percentages the work of the Patent Office that is undertaken(a) by telephone, (b) as correspondence and (c) by applicants in person;

(2) if he will publish a report on the work of the Patent Office including full details of the regions of the United Kingdom from which the work originated.

Mr. Butcher

Information about the work of the Patent Office is provided in the annual report to Parliament of the Comptroller-General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks. However, the details which the hon. Member seeks are not available centrally and could not be compiled other than at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what consultations took place with users of Patent Office services, and its staff, before the decision was announced to move the office out of central London;

(2) which owners of patents, trade marks or registered designs were consulted concerning the likely total cost to them in Government fees, professional fees and ancillary costs arising from implementation of the proposal to move the Patent Office to south Wales;

(3) what steps he is taking to ensure that the Patent Office retains the existing corps of technical examiners so as to maintain the continuity of experience required for the competent examination of patent applications across the full technical spectrum;

(4) when the current independent financial basis for the functioning of the Patent Office will continue in such a way that its operations will neither be supported from, nor contribute to, Government revenues; and if he will make a statement;

(5) whether the whole of the proportion of fees received for the renewal of European Patents (UK), currently retained by the Patent Office, will continue to accrue solely to the benefit of its operations; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Butcher

The final decision on the future location of the Patent Office has not yet been announced, but, as my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster stated in his reply to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden) and for Harrogate (Mr. Banks) on 10 December 1987, column 239, we have been examining the possibility of relocating the Patent Office to Cardiff or Newport.

With this in mind our officials have had discussions with representatives of the relevant professional organisations and the Federation of Trade Mark, Patent and Design Owners on the services needed to be retained in central London in order to ensure that the Patent Office continues to provide the range of services needed by industry and commerce for the efficient conduct of their business at the point where they are needed. The provision of a public office in London should ensure that no additional professional costs fall on customers, while the relocation of the main operations of the office away from London will reduce running costs to the ultimate benefit of users.

A review of the financial basis of the Patent Office, including the level of European patent (UK) renewal fees to be retained by the office, is in progress.

Patent examiners are mobile grades liable to serve anywhere in the country. I do not anticipate any problem in finding sufficient staff willing to work in south Wales.

Further statements will be made about these issues in the near future.