§ Lord Houghton of Sowerbyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the reason for their view that the protection of experimental animals is not a matter of EEC competence.
§ Lord EltonAnimal welfare is not one of the objectives of the Community set out in the Treaty of Rome and there has never been any question of the Community being competent in matters of animal welfare as such, including animal experiments. Provisions in certain EC Directives do, however, refer to or require animal experiments, and in such cases a measure of Community competence in certain specific matters relating to the protection of experimental animals may arise.
One of our concerns over Community accession related to our determination to maintain our national freedom to prescribe the highest standards of animal welfare. The arrangements now agreed within the Community meet our concerns on this score.