§ Mr. Don Dixon (Jarrow)With your permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish to present a petition given to me by four pupils from Whitburn comprehensive school in my constituency, Louise Freeman, Marit Hudson, Angela Patterson and Rachel Green.
They told me when they came to my office on Saturday that they were so appalled at the thousands of animals that suffer and die each year to test cosmetics, and toiletries such as lipstick that they went out each night after school and each weekend and collected more than 1,000 signatures from people in my constituency.
Their petition tells of cruel tests involving rabbits having shampoo injected into their eyes, or guinea pigs having their skin shaved off and products applied to their raw flesh. The petition also asks for legislation to protect these animals and to make illegal the use of animals for the testing of cosmetics and other household products.
I congratulate these girls on their endeavours, and I fully support the petition.
§ To lie upon the Table.