2. Awards and prizes
Sometimes ACME employees are offered awards by external organisations for their work in a particular field connected with their official duties.
Process
- Members of staff who are approached by an outside organisation about the offer of an award or prize in any way connected with official duty should consult their Deputy Director.
- Retention of the award or prize will normally be allowed, having due regard to considerations of propriety and risk of public criticism, provided the award or prize is offered in recognition of special personal merit or achievement; and as long as it is not perceived as a gift, or could be construed as such.
- Acceptance of the offer of a decoration or medal by a foreign Government is generally not permitted, but any such offer must be reported to your Deputy Director who will consult with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Inventions
The ownership of inventions made by Crown Servants before 1 June 1978 vests in the Crown. The department retains control of all such inventions falling within the Government field of interest, with any awards to staff in respect of commercial exploitation being on an ex-gratia basis. In the case of inventions outside the government field of interest and outside the member of staff’s duties they have usually been allowed ex-gratia freedom of commercial exploitation.
Ownership of inventions made by Crown Servants on or after 1 June 1978 depends, in accordance with Section 39 of the Patents Act 1977, on whether they were made in the course of duties. Enquiries should, in the first instance, be referred to your Deputy Director.
