HC Deb 06 June 1907 vol 175 cc852-3
MR. SMEATON (Stirlingshire)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in addition to the two inspectors, Dr. Thane and Sir James Russell, and the Association for Research mentioned in the Appendix to the First Report of the Royal Commission now sitting, he has any other expert advisers in the matter of vivisection licences; and, if so, whether, in accordance with the recommendations of the Royal Commission of 1876 (top of page 17 of Report) to the effect that the names of these advisors should be made known to the public, he will inform the House of the names of these other expert advisers.

I beg also to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, if his export advisers in the matter of vivisection licences consist solely of the Association for Research and the two inspectors, he will, in view of the opinions and advice tendered by the Royal Commission of 1876 in pages 16 and 17 of their Report, add to his advisers some independent persons whose interests are not bound up with those of the vivisectors.

* MR. GLADSTONE

As I said in reply to a previous Question put by my hon. friend on the 15th May, the usual procedure in applications made to me for licences to perform experiments on living animals is set out in the Appendix to the first Report of the Royal Commission now sitting. Occasionally, where questions of great importance have arisen, upon which it was thought advisable to obtain the opinion of the highest authorities, the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons and the Pharmaceutical Society have been consulted. I do not propose to make any change in the existing practice, pending the Report of the Royal Commission now sitting. The Commission of 1876 said that the advisers of the Secretary of State ought to be persons of competent knowledge and experience, and the inspectors satisfy this description. I may add that no licence or certificate is granted without the recommendation of the eminent authorities mentioned in Section 11 of the Act of 1876.

MR. SMEATON

If the Commission recommend additional expert advisers is the right hon. Gentleman prepared to appoint them?

*MR. GLADSTONE

I will wait and see what they recommend.

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