§ Mr. Burdenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to prosecute those responsible for capturing the wild chaffinches used in a recent experiment at Cambridge University.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesI have no reason to believe that the persons concerned have committed any offence.
§ Mr. Burdenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how many chaffinches was a licence granted for the recent experiment at Cambridge University in which the birds were deafened in order to ascertain how they learn to sing.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesNo restriction as regards numbers was imposed on the certificates under which these experiments were authorised. The research project has now been completed and the relevant certificates are no longer in force.