§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money the Government allocated to London Zoo in the last financial year; how much has 491W been allocated for the current financial year; what is the purpose of his grant; and what information he has about animal experiments carried out at the zoo.
§ Mr. WaldegraveIn 1985–86 Government support for the Zoological Society of London amounted to £3 million, made up of a pump-priming capital grant of £1 million and a block revenue grant of £2 million. In the current financial year 1986–87, Government are making available a further £2 million revenue grant, and £34,300 in capital grant to match sums the society raised privately in 1985–86. The grant is given to maintain the society's nationally and internationally recognised work in conservation and scientific research.
Responsibility for the control of animal experiments rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department. However, I understand that it is an internal rule of ZSL, that no animal in its collection is used for experiments requiring a licence under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, which has recently replaced the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876. The society's research arm, the Institute of Zoology, is inspected under this Act and the Government are thus able to be satisfied that the law is being complied with and that experiments are neither cruel nor unnecessary. A full account of the activities of the institute is published in the Scientific Report (1984–86) available from ZSL.