§ Sir R. Russellasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what kinds of animals, other than mice and 112W rats, are kept at the Medical Research Council Laboratory Animals Centre; approximately how many of each kind of animal are kept there; and how many of each are supplied annually to research units.
§ Mr. Edward ShortIn respect of the supply of experimental animals the function of the M.R.C. Laboratory Animals Centre is confined to the provision of disease-free, genetically-controlled breeding nuclei to research workers wishing to find their own breeding colonies. The Centre does not undertake the routine production of experimental animals.
MRC LABORATORY ANIMALS CENTRE: ANIMALS MAINTAINED AND SUPPLIED (EXCLUDING MICE AND RATS) Species Current Stock Numbers Issued Annually (1968) Hamsters … 500 275 Guinea Pigs … 200 425 Rabbits … 100 33 Cats … 50 197 Gerbils … 50 91 Steppe Lemmings … 25 71 Monkeys* … 17 — Goatst … 20 — Sheept … 15 — Japanese Quail … 15 — TOTAL (all species) … 992 1092 * Colonies maintained for research and training in animal husbandry. * Herds maintained for the production of anti-sera.