UK Patent

The UK Intellectual Property Office also has direct administrative responsibility for examining and issuing or rejecting patents, and maintaining registers of intellectual property including patents, designs and trademarks in the United Kingdom. In the UK, as in most countries (bar the odd exception) there is no general statutory register of copyright. Therefore, there is no direct administration required in copyright matters. Recently, the Office has also been given statutory powers to offer "Patent Office Opinions" on patent validity and infringement disputes; and to offer alternative dispute resolution services.

The existence of the Patent Office (rather than the UK Intellectual Property Office) and the post of Comptroller are required by the Patents and Designs Act 1907 (though most of the remainder of this Act has been repealed), but the substantive duties of the Office are set out in other legislation, including:

  • The Registered Designs Act 1949
  • The Patents Act 1977
  • The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
  • The Trade Marks Act 1994
Policy development is carried on by the Office's Intellectual Property and Innovation Directorate (IPID), including preparation of new UK legislation, intellectual property enforcement policy, and participation in international negotiations.

The UK Intellectual Property Office, or UK-IPO, formerly known as The Patent Office (although legally it retains this name),is the lead United Kingdom government agency responsible for developing and administering policy in most areas of intellectual property, under the overall aegis of the Department of Trade and Industry. Some work on copyright policy is however shared with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and plant breeders' rights are administered by the Plant Variety Rights Office, an agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Since 1991, the UK Patent Office, now known as the UK Intellectual Property Office, has had its headquarters in Newport, South Wales, but a small branch office in London has been maintained for the benefit of the large professional community based there and for communication with central government.

The UK Intellectual Property Office is led by the Comptroller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, who is also registrar of trade marks, registrar of designs and Chief Executive of the Office. Ian Fletcher will take over as the new chief executive of the UK Intellectual Property Office on April 30, 2007. Ron Marchant retired on March 30, 2007. Director of Finance Kevin Woodrow acts as interim Chief Executive. On April 2, 2007, the Patent Office changed its name to the UK Intellectual Property Office.

All of the above legislation has been amended extensively since it was first passed.