§ MR. SAMUEL SMITH (Flintshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (1) whether his attention has been called to the fact that admission has been refused to a committee of the Wembley Urban Council to a building called the Poplars, in their district, where a nuisance was believed to exist; (2) whether the Poplars is used as a laboratory for experimenting on animals, and, if so, for what kind of experiments; (3) whether in that case it is registered as required by the Act; and, (4) whether, as the local authority has been refused admission, he will see that it is properly inspected and controlled?
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYThe answer to the first paragraph of the question is in the affirmative. The Poplars is duly registered under the Act, but hitherto it has been used exclusively for the production of anti-toxic remedies and testing their efficacy. Whether the processes carried on there are experiments within the meaning of the Act, is a difficult legal question which is engaging my consideration. The place has been visited by the inspector under the Act, who, on each occasion, found the 783 premises in good order and the animals well cared for. He also has instructions to visit and report to me upon the place from time to time. I am informed that in refusing admission to the committee of the district council, the occupiers acted deliberately and under legal advice. This matter, however, does not appear to come within my jurisdiction under the Act, and I will refer it to the Local Government Board.