Intellectual Property Bill [HL]

My Lords, I very much support my noble friend Lord Young. This idea is that having had an opinion service available for some time in relation to patterns, that is now to be brought over to the subject of designs as well. It seems a most useful device, enabling people to get an opinion for what I believe to be a relatively low cost to the applicant. Having that instead of taking legal proceedings or, at any rate, allowing a certain delay until legal proceedings are brought seems most helpful. However, it does not seem to be appropriate when, as the clause specifies, this is not a decision. My noble friend read out the bits of the clause which are relevant to this. It is an opinion; the clause specifies that. It is authoritative because it is coming from a source that ought to know the answer but, by not being a decision, surely it is inappropriate that there should be an appeal. It somehow takes away from the great value of an opinion, which is to give something straightforward in the opinion of the people who ought to know. Having it without an appeal would enable it to be done quite quickly.