2(1)Where an agreement in the case of which rights and liabilities thereunder vest in the Post Office by virtue of sections 16 to 18 of this Act contains provision—
(a)conferring authority under section 46(1) of the [1949 c. 87.] Patents Act 1949 for the making, use or exercise of an invention for a purpose referable to the functions of the Postmaster General; or
(b)providing for the conferring by the Postmaster General on a person of such an authority under that section,
then, on and after the appointed day.—
(i)the authority conferred by the agreement, and any authority conferred before that day in pursuance of such a provision as is mentioned in head (b) above, shall continue in force and shall have effect so as to authorise the making, use and exercise of the invention for a purpose referable to the functions of the Post Office, being a purpose corresponding to that mentioned in head (a) above ; and
(ii)the provision described in head (b) above shall have effect as if it provided for the conferring by the Post Office of an authority having such effect as is mentioned in the last foregoing head.
(2)For the purpose of fulfilling obligations imposed on it by virtue of this paragraph, the Post Office shall, on and after the appointed day, have power to confer such an authority as is mentioned in head (ii) of the foregoing sub-paragraph.
(3)Nothing in the Patents Act 1949 shall be taken to prevent the use by the Post Office, for a purpose referable to its functions, of any articles made and supplied to it in the exercise of an authority continued in force by, or conferred by virtue of, this paragraph.