§ Mr. A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed)With your permission, Mr. Deputy-Speaker, and that of the House, I beg leave to present a petition. It reads as follows:
To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled.The Humble Petition of the undersigned citizens of Great Britain and Northern IrelandSHEWETH—(1) that under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 it is lawful to perform painful experiments on living animals in the course of medical and scientific research;(2) that such use of living animals by mankind is no longer acceptable;WHEREFORE your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House will in considering support for medical and scientific research give full emphasis to the urgent need to develop research techniques which render unnecessary the use of living animals.And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever ray, etc.The petition has been signed by over 3,800 people, almost all of whom are residents of Northumberland and Tyneside. The widespread support for the petition reflects the fact that there is considerable concern not only among those who have always rejected the use of animals in experiments but also among the larger number who accept that some experiments involving animals may be necessary.There is widespread agreement that public policy on animal experiments should be reviewed and very strong support for the proposal of the petitioners that a greater effort should be made to develop research techniques that avoid the use of living animals. I am happy to associate myself with that objective.
§ I beg leave to present the petition.
§ To lie upon the Table.