§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information beyond that given in the statistics of experiments on living animals he is prepared to give regarding the reasons for increases in general and specific categories; if he will publish in the Official Report a further breakdown of the reasons for increases in a form which does not reveal details of any individual licensees' work, or provide information that would enable the identity of individual licensees readily to be deduced; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorI am satisfied that further detailed information on this matter could not be published without unacceptable risks to confidentially or security or without disproportionate cost. When increases have occurred as a result of specific studies, disclosing details of them would lead to the identification of the place where they were performed. Where increases have occurred without being accounted for by a specific study, the precise reasons for the increase could not be obtained without contacting each person who performed experiments in that category, which would involve considerable costs.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a definition of pain 893W in the forthcoming supplementary document to Cmnd. 8883 on animal experiments; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorI refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike) on 24 July at column584 and my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry) on 31 July at column 216.