HL Deb 10 April 1974 vol 350 cc1222-4

2.59 p.m.

LORD PLATT

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how soon they will be able to say what action they intend to take on the recommendations of the Littlewood Report on Experiments on Animals, which was published in April, 1965 [Cmnd. 2641).

LORD WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, almost half of the recommendations made by the Littlewood Committee endorse the retention of existing controls, or propose that statutory force should be given to restrictions now imposed administratively; to this extent the Committee's proposals are already in operation. Effect has been given to some of their other recommendations, but the majority of them would require legislation. The Government have no present plans for legislation on this subject.

LORD PLATT

My Lords, in view of that not highly satisfactory reply, for which I thank the noble Lord, may I ask whether the Government will be prepared to proceed immediately with the reconstitution of the advisory committee and of its functions which, as the Littlewood Report pointed out, could be done without legislation?

LORD WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, the noble Lord will know that it was the recommendation of the Royal Commission which met from 1906 to 1912 that there should be an advisory committee. It was laid down very clearly that the nominees should be from learned bodies representing human and veterinary medicine and science, and I believe that the noble Lord was a member of the advisory committee for some years. Having regard to the scientific nature of the work of the advisory committee, Her Majesty's Government are of the opinion that the requirements which were suggested by the Royal Commission have been met and they see no reason at all for reconstituting the committee.

LORD PLATT

My Lords, are Her Majesty's Government aware that there is a great deal of disquiet on this subject, and a great deal of feeling that a committee which consists wholly of medical and veterinary scientists, and which is chaired by a distinguished lawyer, is not entirely suitable for considering the position on animal experiments as it exists at the present time?

LORD WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, I can only repeat that the function of the advisory committee, as we understand it, is to advise on matters which are essentially scientific, and the members of the advisory committee are in a position to do precisely that.

BARONESS EMMET OF AMBERLEY

My Lords, may I ask the Minister whether there are any women sitting on this committee? I asked the question earlier and was given an answer in the negative. I hope that the position has since improved.

LORD WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, I hope I am right in saying to the noble Baroness that one member of the advisory committee is a woman, and I believe that one of the inspectors is also a woman. If I am wrong about that, I shall be only too pleased to write to the noble Baroness and say so.

LORD WALSTON

My Lords, as a member of the Littlewood Committee for a short while, my recollection is that one of the recommendations was that the number of inspectors should be substantially increased. Is my noble friend able to tell us how many more inspectors there are to-day than there were in 1965?

LORD WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, there are now 14 inspectors in post, including the chief inspector and two superintendent inspectors. I believe I am right in saying that when the Littlewood Committee made its recommendation there were 8 inspectors, and when the Committee was set up there were only 6. To-day there are 14.

LORD WILLIS

My Lords, will the Minister agree that since 1965 there has been a tremendous increase in the number of experiments on living animals, and that there is increasing concern about the number of animals that are used for purely cosmetic experiments—I do not use that term in a scientific sense: I mean experiments connected with the production of cosmetics, as distinct from the saving of human life? Also, will the Minister agree that although in 1965 there were 12 inspectors there are now 13 or 14, which is an increase of 2, and that this grave concern which is felt about the enormous increase in experiments on living animals should be reflected in some legislation?

LORD WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, in reply to my noble friend I would say that between 1965 and 1971 the total number of experiments increased by about 850,000, but the figure for 1972 showed a reduction of more than 250,000. In 1972, the inspectors made over 4,000 visits to registered laboratories, mostly without prior notice, and my information is that at the present moment the 14 inspectors can deal adequately with the demands made on them.