§ Mr. Fryasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a Home Office inspector interviews a research worker before a certificate is granted under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876.
§ Dr. SummerskillCertificates are granted by the authorities specified in Section 11 of the Act, but my right hon. Friend may disallow or suspend them. The inspectors advise my right hon. Friend whether certificates should be allowed to come into force. They may at their discretion interview the licensee. A licensee would invariably be interviewed if his proposals involved severe procedures and would often be interviewed in other circumstances where discussion would be particularly helpful to the inspector or more convenient than correspondence.
§ Mr. Fryasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many animal technicians are licensed to perform experiments on living animals under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876.
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§ Dr. SummerskillThis information is not available.
§ Mr. Fryasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many primates were used in experiments performed under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 during 1976 and 1977 to the latest available date.
§ Dr. SummerskillFigures for 1976 are not available. This information is being collected for 1977 and will be published later in the year.
§ Mr. Fryasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Home Office inspectors visited each of the registered premises under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 during 1976 and 1977.
§ Dr. SummerskillA categorical answer would require checking of the records of all visits paid in those years, but the normal practice is to visit all such premises at least once a year.