My Lords, I have one question for the noble Viscount. In legislating to effect this change, how does he intend to secure the position of people who have commissioned designs? They have invested capital and made an important personal commitment to commissioning a design. In future, the design right of that design is to be vested in the designer and not the commissioner. I do not object to that in principle but I should be grateful if he would clarify how the commissioners’ interests are to be secured in this new situation. Is it to be by way of contract between the commissioner and the person he employs? If so, what ought the commissioner to stipulate in the contract of his employee? However, supposing that the designer is freelance or an independent contractor, how strong will be the protection for the entrepreneur who has commissioned the design and whose interests I think none of us would want to see neglected?
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