§ 16. Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies his Department has conducted into the effect of a ban on the testing of cosmetics on animals.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggWe have given very careful thought to the question of cosmetics testing but do not believe that 777W an abitrary ban would be sensible or justifiable. The course which we have adopted is to impose rigorous controls over all experimentation involving living animals. This approach was endorsed by Parliament during the passage of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. The main provisions of the new Act are now in force. They will ensure that all applications for experimental work involving animals receive detailed scrutiny and only work which can be justified will be allowed. Additionally, we have decided that all applications for projects involving cosmetics will be examined by the Animal Procedures Committee.