HL Deb 27 March 1990 vol 517 cc732-4

2.46 p.m.

The Earl of Haddington asked Her Majesty's Government:

What actions they propose to take to prevent the implementation on completion of the single market of the draft EC directive intended to make compulsory the testing of cosmetics upon animals.

The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Trefgarne)

My Lords, Her Majesty's Government recognise that many people in the United Kingdom do not think that cosmetics should be tested on animals. We are therefore seeking to ensure that any increase in animal testing required by the proposed amendments to the Cosmetics Directive is kept to the essential minimum. Existing ingredients will not have to be tested on animals unless toxicologists are worried about them, and new ingredients will not have to be tested on animals if this is unnecessary, as in the case of bland "natural" ingredients.

The Earl of Haddington

My Lords, I am grateful for my noble friend's assurances on the subject. The vast majority of people in this country appear to be against animal testing, certainly for cosmetic products. It seems extraordinary that such ingredients as oil of rosemary or sandalwood, which are naturally occurring substances that have been used, for hundreds of years with no harm to people, should have to be tested on animals. Perhaps I may go on—

Noble Lords

Question!

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, in reply to the first supplementary question of my noble friend, I very much agree with the point that he makes. Indeed it is changes in that direction that I believe we have achieved through discussions in Brussels.

Lord Stoddart of Swindon

My Lords, what on earth has the testing of cosmetics on animals to do with the single market? Is it not another instance of a polyglot bureaucracy imposing upon the people of this country standards that we simply will not accept? Is it not offensive to the animal lovers of this country that their interests and views should be submerged within the European bureacracy? I have said enough, my Lords.

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, a cosmetics directive from the European Community has been in place since as far back as 1976. We are now discussing a new directive to amend and take forward the 1976 directive. The representations that we have made through our membership of the relevant committees in Brussels have moved the draft directive—that is all it is at the moment—in the right direction. We not only have to meet the proper aspirations of those who have understandable and quite proper concern about the testing of these products on animals; we also need to ensure that the cosmetics industry brings forward new products that are safe, and demonstrably so.

Baroness Phillips

My Lords, is the Minister aware that appeals must be made to women, who should be told not to buy cosmetics which have been the subject of experiments on animals? That is a powerful campaign which can succeed where governments and the EC cannot.

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I agree that it is a market matter. A number of firms are now marketing cosmetics about which they make a virtue of the fact that they have not been tested on animals. If people prefer to buy such cosmetics that is their undoubted right. However, the definition of cosmetics goes wider than preparations used by women. It includes items such as soap, toothpaste, shampoo and deodorant some of which I use.

Viscount Massereene and Ferrard

My Lords, is my noble friend aware that for many years we in Parliament have been debating the subject and the experimentation on tissues which will replace the necessity to use animals? Does he agree that to obey the EC regulation would be a backward step and would be appalling?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I am sorry to have to tell my noble friend that it is not possible to obtain the necessary degree of confidence in the safety of products only by testing on tissues as he suggests. There are circumstances in which wider testing is required and, therefore, I am afraid that occasional testing on animals must take place. Noble Lords will be reassured to know that 99.5 per cent, of tests conducted in this country on live animals were connected with drugs and only 0.5 per cent, were connected with cosmetics.

Lord Williams of Elvel

My Lords, the Minister was kind enough to tell the House that he was born in Llandrindod Wells, and we are grateful for that information. Can he reassure the House that he knows that the sheep on the Welsh uplands are called the Welsh speckleface? Can he explain to the House what the effect of the directive will be on the specklefaced sheep? For instance, will they have to carry the deodorant which the noble Lord has said he uses or will they be required to wear lipstick? What will be the effect?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I am happy to say that, as a result of the changes that we have secured in the proposed draft directive, the effects upon the Welsh sheep to which the noble Lord referred will be much less than otherwise.

The Earl of Lauderdale

My Lords, can the Minister say whether the directive is for or against red rouge for a bull?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, that particular detail has not yet come before the Council of Ministers.