§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those instances where he has exercised his right to use without payment, or authorised others to use without payment, any patents for any Government purpose; and whether there are any patents falling within this right which he has paid for the use of.
§ Mr. NeubertPatents which the Secretary of State has the right to use without payment, including the right to authorise others to use without payment, fall into two categories. The first category consists of patents owned by the Crown. The second category consists of patents for inventions which have arisen as a result of public funding in circumstances where the Secretary of State is granted such rights—for example, inventions which have arisen under contract.
No account is kept of instances where patents in either of the above categories are used, and, where the Secretary 720W of State receives the right to use or authorise the use of a patent for an invention that has arisen as a result of public funding, there is no requirement to inform the patentee as to the extent of the use of the patent.
There are no known instances of payment by the Secretary of State for the use of a patent which he has the right to use free of charge.