§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the 73W public holding arrangements for the great seals issued for the period between 1617 and 1831 concerning patents granted. [17156]
§ Mr. Jonathan EvansThe question concerns a specific operational matter on which the chief executive of the Public Record Office is best placed to provide an answer. I have accordingly asked the chief executive to reply direct.
Letter from Sarah Tyacke to Mr. Dale Campbell-Savours, dated 4 March 1996:
I have been asked by the Lord Chancellor's Parliamentary Secretary to reply for the Public Record Office to your question about the public holdings arrangements concerning patents granted.
Copiers of letters patent issued over the great seal between 1617 and 1831 could be enrolled on the Chancery patent rolls. Under the Public Records Act 1958 these patent rolls are open for consultation by the public in the Public Record Office.
Not all letters patent were thus enrolled and the system of enrolment broke down from 1648 to 1659, for which period few rolls survive.
Original letters patent over the great seal were issued to the person to whom the grant was made. They thus passed into private hands, and were not subject to public holdings arrangements.