Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent the abuse of the UK design register by traders registering invalid old designs to maliciously block competitors on online marketplaces; and what consideration they have given to reintroducing substantive examination or the use of artificial intelligence search tools to identify invalid applications prior to registration.

The government is aware that some applicants are abusing the UK design system and seeking to register designs for well-known products or products that don’t belong to them.

The 2025 consultation on changes to the UK design framework sought views on a wide range of measures around search and examination to improve the validity of registered designs. The government is currently reviewing responses to the consultation, and a response will be issued later this year.