§ MR. O'GRADY (Leeds, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Royal Commission on Vivisection is to be enlarged by the addition of one or more medical men who are known anti-vivisectionists; whether he has been approached by representatives of the anti-vivisection movement with a view to so enlarging the Commission; and whether it is the intention that the proceedings of the Commission shall be open to the public and the Press.
§ *MR. GLADSTONEI have received and considered a certain number of representations, but I do not propose to enlarge the Commission, which is, in my opinion, fairly constituted as regards all parties interested. It is for the Commission to decide whether their proceedings should be public, and they have, I see, informed the Press this morning that they have decided to sit in private, but to supply copies of the evidence from time to time to certain representative bodies interested in the inquiry.
§ MR. O'GRADYasked whether it was not the fact that the majority of the Commissioners believed in vivisection.
§ *MR. GLADSTONEreplied that out of ten Commissioners four, including two distinguished medical men, were suggested to him by anti-vivisection societies.
§ MR. LUPTONasked whether it was not the case that there were three expert vivisectionists on the Commission, and no expert anti-vivisectionists at all?
§ *MR. GLADSTONEreplied that he did not know what his hon. friend meant by "expert anti-vivisectionist," but in the constitution of the Commission great care i was taken to secure that all sides should be represented.
§ MR. O'GRADYWill the right hon. Gentleman give the names of the Commissioners recommended by the Anti-Vivisection Society.
§ *MR. GLADSTONENo, Sir, I cannot do that.