HL Deb 21 February 1994 vol 552 cc422-3

3 p.m.

Lord Campbell of Croy asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they consider that special protection is needed for those engaged in research which seeks remedies to cure severe illness and to save human life, and which may involve the use of animals.

The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)

My Lords, no. The Government attach great importance to the continuation of this essential research. The law already gives the police and the courts the powers which they need to deal with the range of offences which are committed by animal extremists. The police also provide warnings and protective security advice to those who are most at risk.

Lord Campbell of Croy

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for his reply. Is he aware that medical researchers have been subjected to letter bombs, bombs under cars and in buildings and to incendiary devices in some cases where animals have not been involved or intended to be involved? Is it not time that such attacks were treated as terrorism?

Earl Ferrers

My Lords, I am aware of the quite terrible things that some people do to those who carry out research. I can assure my noble friend, however, that actions such as breaking in, burglary, theft, arson and criminal damage, which covers things such as sticking up locks with glue and writing slogans on walls, sending postal bombs and contaminating food, are already criminal offences. I believe that to equate that with terrorism would be to go a little too far. It is perfectly true that the use of parcel bombs and incendiaries may be akin to terrorism, but the Prevention of Terrorism Acts have never applied to domestic extremism whether from the animal rights movement, nationalists who resort to assault in North Wales, or violent campaigners for Scottish independence. I think that it would be better to leave the law as it is because most of the offences that these people commit are already covered by the criminal law.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, is the Minister aware that we on these Benches strongly support his last answer? He is right in what he said and we would be very opposed to the extension of the powers under the Prevention of Terrorism Acts to domestic violence. May I ask the Minister a more neutral question? Is it his view that the provisions of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill, which is now in another place, against, for example, hunt saboteurs, would apply also to the cases referred to in the Question of the noble Lord, Lord Campbell of Croy?

Earl Ferrers

My Lords, the new provisions in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill apply to people out of doors. In so far as that kind of behaviour occurs on premises which belong to researchers, but which are out of doors, those provisions would apply.

Lord Campbell of Croy

Is my noble friend aware of the dramatic recent advance in the treatment of severe spinal conditions as a result of humane experiments with rats? Does he agree that the continuing research into cures for cancer is still of the greatest importance?

Earl Ferrers

My Lords, my noble friend refers to two very important matters. We are totally satisfied that such work has to be carried out for the betterment of humanity. There is nothing wrong in that kind of research. However, there are considerable powers to control it: an establishment has to be certified before experiments can be carried out on its premises; each researcher must be personally licensed before he or she can carry out experiments; and all individual projects must be licensed.