§ 56. Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the total number of experiments on living animals performed in 1951 under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876; how many were performed without any anaesthetics; and how many were performed on cats, dogs and horses.
§ Sir D. Maxwell FyfeThe total number of experiments performed in 1951 was 1,919,424. Of these, 1,665,120 experiments not involving any procedure more severe than simple inoculation or superficial venesection were performed without anaesthetics. Cats, dogs, horses, asses or mules were used in 10,262 experiments.
§ 57. Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the annual return for 1951 of the experiments performed under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, will be available; why this return is so long delayed; and whether he will arrange for it to be available within the first three months of each year in future.
§ Sir D. Maxwell FyfeThe return has been presented and will be on sale within a few days. Its preparation involves collecting and assembling information from all the licensees under the Act, and while every effort is made to have it available as early as possible, I cannot give the assurance which the hon. Member seeks.