§ MR. WEBB) (Waterford, W.I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that although an Assistant Inspector was appointed last year under 39 and 40 Vic. c. 77, regulating vivisection, no laboratory where experiments on living animals were carried on was inspected more than three times, some twice, and others only once in the year 1889; whether, whilst the terms of the Act are explicit, that "the Secretary of State shall cause all registered places to be, from time to time, visited by Inspectors," it is the fact that for the greater part of the year the experimenters are practically 815 free from inspection; and whether, since it appears from the recently issued Report that the Inspectors still mainly rely on the statements of the vivisectors themselves for the materials for their Report and Return, it is the intention of the Government to make arrangements for the more effectual carrying out of the spirit of the Act?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI am aware of the number of visits paid by the Inspector as stated in the last Report. The words "from time to time" in the Act have been interpreted in the Home Office to mean once a year, and the Act does not contemplate that the actual experimentation shall take place under the personal supervision of the Inspector. I have no information in my possession which leads me to think that the spirit of the Act is not effectually carried out. On the contrary, the Reports made to the Inspector of the various experiments, and often communicated to the scientific journals, show that the conditions imposed by Parliament are loyally carried out. Should facts be brought to my knowledge showing that this is not the case, or that the existing provisions for inspection are unsatisfactory, I should not hesitate to apply for additional assistance for carrying out the Act.