HL Deb 13 March 2001 vol 623 cc707-8

4.3 p.m.

The Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees (Lord Tordoff)

My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.

Moved, That a Select Committee be appointed to consider and report on issues respecting animals in scientific procedures in the United Kingdom, including—

  1. (1) the working of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986;
  2. (2) the effectiveness of and justification for animal experiments, particularly in:
    1. (i) medicine
    2. (ii) education
    3. (iii) defence
    4. (iv) product testing; and
  3. (3) the development and use of alternatives to animal procedures;
  • and in all the foregoing considerations to pay regard to:
    • —public attitudes, availability of information, labelling and consumer issues;
    • —developments in biotechnology, and the likely future demand for animal procedures;
    • —the effect of any changes on the economy and the science base;
    • —EU and international law and practice;
That, as proposed by the Committee of Selection, the following Lords be named of the committee:
  • L. Brennan,
  • L. Hunt of Chesterton,
  • L. Lucas,
  • B. Nicol,
  • E. Onslow,
  • B. Richardson of Calow,
  • L. Smith of Clifton (Chairman),
  • L. Taverne,
  • B. Warnock,
  • B. Wilcox.
That the committee have power to appoint specialist advisers;

That the committee have power to adjourn from place to place. —(The Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees.)

Lord Winston

My Lords, if noble Lords will forgive my delaying the House, I shall do so briefly. I have some concerns about the committee. I should like briefly to express them.

I am chairman of the Science and Technology Select Committee. In the past I have also held an animal procedures licence. For those reasons, being parti pris, I felt that it would be inappropriate under my chairmanship of the committee for this matter to be discussed.

This House has unique expertise in medicine, biological science and veterinary science. Excellent though the proposed membership of the committee is, it troubles me that no biologists, medical people or veterinarians are on the committee. I realise that it is now too late to change the structure of the committee, but I should be grateful for reassurance that it may be possible—it happens with other Select Committees of this House—to co-opt one or two people with the scientific background which would add weight and experience to the committee. It would seem inappropriate to ignore that vast experience.

I do not suggest that we have an animal procedures licence holder, like myself. However, there are others who are not disqualified and would not be regarded as parti pris. I urge noble Lords to consider that.

The Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees

My Lords, I have some sympathy with what the noble Lord says. However, there is some difficulty. First, it is not possible for this committee to co-opt members because that is not within its terms of reference. There is expertise in your Lordships' House. However, the danger is—I think that this is why the composition has been chosen as it has—that people outside might view it as parti pris if certain people were involved, however great their knowledge of the biological sciences.

It is entirely within the power of the committee to appoint specialist advisers. It is also the right of the committee to call people from this House to give evidence to it. In that way a balanced committee which is not parti pris is able to produce a report with evidence from all sides, including from expert Members of your Lordships' House.

On Question, Motion agreed to.