§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Defence if the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down, Salisbury, is breeding rhesus monkeys for research which is being financed with taxpayers' money.
§ Dr. GilbertYes. Rhesus monkeys are used in defence research, and a proportion of MOD needs are currently met by the breeding unit at the Chemical Defence Establishment.
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been spent on breeding rhesus monkeys at the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down, Salisbury, for the purpose of research or experiments.
§ Dr. GilbertThe initial capital cost was about £46,000 and the current running cost is about £5,000 per annum.
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the number of rhesus monkeys bred at the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down, Salisbury, in each year from 1970; and what he expects the number to be in 1978, 1979 and 1980.
§ Dr. GilbertThe breeding unit was set up in 1976. The numbers bred are as follows: 1976, 2; 1977, 15; and 1978, 16. It is expected that the total for the two years 1979 and 1980 will be about 45.