§ SIR BARRINGTON SIMEON (Southampton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the last report of the inspector under the Act relating to experiments on living animals; whether he has observed that seven licencees confessed to having committed offences against the law, of which two consisted in two persons going on vivisecting in 1897 without the requisite licence; and that the inspector, having treated these two persons in the same way as licensed persons, condoned their offences; will he state who these persons were, and whether any remonstrance, reprimand, or other communication has been or will be addressed to them?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir M. W. RIDLEY,) Lancashire, BlackpoolYes, certainly I am aware of the facts stated in the inspector's Report to myself. The nature of the irregularities referred to 1108 is shown in the Report, and it will be seen that in every case they arise from inadvertence. It is not the fact, however, that the irregularities were condoned; letters of reproof were sent, and in some cases severer measures taken. No good object would, I think, be served by publishing the names.