§ Mr. Viantasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases an inspector under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, has given an order that an animal which appeared to be suffering considerable pain must be forthwith painlessly killed; and what action was taken in such cases against the experimenter.
§ Mr. EdeI regret that in view of the heavy pressure of work in my Department I cannot undertake to go back to 1913 when the condition empowering an inspector to give such a direction was first introduced. As I told my hon. Friend on 1st July in reply to his previous Question, no occasion has been found in recent years for such a direction to be given.