§ Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants in his department are 318W currently dealing with the response to the White Paper on animal experimentation; and whether he is satisfied that sufficient resources are allocated to deal with this issue.
§ Mr. MellorEvery officer in the animals branch at executive officer level and above—a total of 7 people—and all 14 members of the inspectorate, together with appropriate clerical and secretarial support, are engaged to some extent either in answering the many letters about the White Paper which we continue to receive or in considering and explaining the broader policy issues arising from them. It is the major occupation of the more senior staff involved. I am satisfied the current resource allocation is correct.