§ Mr. RAPERasked the Home Secretary whether Lieut.-Colonel P. S. Lelean, who has recently been appointed inspector under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, still holds a vivisection licence, as was the case in 1920, together with the certificates enabling him to experiment without anæsthetics, and to allow the animals used to recover from the effects of the anæsthetic; and whether, in view of the strong feeling against vivisection which prevails among large sections of the people of this country, and seeing that the appointment of this gentleman is not in accord with the statement of the first Royal Commission which recommended the passing of the Act, that the inspectors must be persons of such character and position as to command the confidence of the public no less than that of men of science, this appointment can be reconsidered?
§ Mr. SHORTTColonel Lelean has not held a licence since 1920. Ho was given a licence after the outbreak of war, to enable him to carry out researches for the protection of our troops, and held it until 1920; but he only performed experiments under it in 1915, when he held the position of Professor of Hygiene in the Royal Army Medical College, and was engaged in the important work of investigating the remedies for gas poisoning. Colonel Lelean has had a long and distinguished career in the Royal Army Medical Corps and I am entirely satisfied that his character and position are such as to deserve the fullest confidence from the public. I see no grounds for reconsidering the appointment.