Small Businesses: Intellectual Property
(asked on 6th July 2026) - View Source
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what support the Intellectual Property Office provides to SMEs seeking to enforce registered copyright and trademark rights against overseas infringers.
Answered by
Kanishka Narayan
Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
Helping SMEs protect and enforce their intellectual property (IP) rights is an important priority for the UK Government. The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) provides support through its International IP Service, which offers guidance on protecting and enforcing IP overseas. This includes country and region-specific information on local regulatory frameworks, registration requirements, enforcement routes and common risks, as well as signposting to relevant overseas offices and enforcement authorities.
The IPO also maintains a network of IP attachés in key international markets, providing practical guidance to help UK businesses make informed decisions about protecting and enforcing their rights overseas.