§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will seek powers to allow representatives of 171W animal organisations to visit establishments where experiments on animals are being performed;
(2) if he will seek powers to allow Members of Parliament to visit at will establishments where experiments on animals are being carried out.
§ Dr. SummerskillNo. It is the responsibility of the inspectors appointed under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 to visit all premises registered under the Act for the performance of experiments. It would be objectionable in principle and in practice to create rights of entry of the kind proposed in these Questions, but the law does not prevent the persons in charge of registered premises from admitting anyone. Invitations to visit may be forthcoming if asked for, and, I understand, have been extended to and accepted by a number of Members of Parliament and representatives of animal organisations.
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will substantially increase the number of inspectors who are entitled to visit establishments where experiments on animals are being carried out.
§ Dr. SummerskillI would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 11th November to a Question by the hon. Member for Chislehurst (Mr. Sims)—[Vol. 938, c.262–263.]
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many experiments using LD50 have been carried out on animals in 1977; where they took place; and for what purpose.
§ Dr. SummerskillThis information is not at present available.