§ Mr. GEORGE GREENWOODasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state when the Return of
Experiments on Living Animals for the year 1914 will be issued; and whether he is aware that, having regard to the fact that no proceedings for an offence under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, can be instituted after the lapse of six months from the time when the matter of complaint arose, and that such Returns are practically the only means whereby the public can obtain any information as to whether 1215W any such offence has been or appears to have been committed, the withholding of such Return for more than six months after 31st December, 1914, precludes all possibility of instituting any prosecution for such offences, if any, as may have been committed during the year aforesaid?
§ Mr. BRACEThe Return was issued yesterday. I regret that owing to pressure of war work it was impossible to issue it earlier. The date of the publication of the Return does not affect the power of the Home Office to institute proceedings. Any contravention is reported to the Secretary of State as soon as it is discovered.