§ Lord HOUGHTON of SOWERBY: My Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any experiments are at present being conducted at the Huntingdon Research Centre on primates or dogs comparable with those on the beagles at the laboratories of Imperial Chemical Industries and, if so, how many animals are being used in these experiments, and whether any such or similar experiments will be referred to the Advisory Committee for examination.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, HOME OFFICE (Lord Harris of Greenwich)My Lords, ninety-one primates are being used in comparable experiments at the Centre. The Advisory Committee will be examining the use of dogs in experiments to develop new smoking materials. In the course of this examination it will, no doubt, consider the use of other animals in such experiments.
§ Lord HOUGHTON of SOWERBYMy Lords, will my noble friend consider whether the present lack of co-operation between the tobacco interests and Her Majesty's Government on further emphasis of the health hazards of smoking should now be brought into consideration in the conduct of further experiments of this kind? If we cannot get co-operation from the tobacco interests in emphasising the health hazards, why should we co-operate with them in conducting experiments on animals to find some alternative to smoking?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, I will gladly draw the attention 1150 of my right honourable friends who are principally concerned to the points made by my noble friend.