HL Deb 01 May 1975 vol 360 cc87-8WA
Lord HOUGHTON of SOWERBY

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Under what classification of licence and certificate the following experiments were permitted at the Huntingdon Research Centre:

  1. (a) the potential irritancy to the rabbit eye muscosa of certain commercially available shampoos (Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists 15, pp. 209–230);
  2. (b) inter species variation in dermal activity: Draize patch tests of soaps and shampoos, on mouse, guinea-pig, rabbit, dog, piglet and baboon (Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists 23, pp. 371–381);
  3. (c) evaluation of the tumorigenic potential of vermiculite by intrapleural injection in rats: Building material to replace asbestos finely ground and injected into rats; asbestos also injected (British Journal of Industrial Medicine 30, pp. 167–173);
  4. (d) toxicity of Gusathion: insecticides for the rat and dog; rats and cocker spaniels fed on diet containing high concentration of Gusathion (Toxicology & Applied Pharmacology, 24, pp. 405–412);
  5. (e) Enzyme Cytochemistry of the respiratory tract: Syrian hamsters reared in cigarette smoke environment to observe the effect of exposing the respiratory tract to cigarette smoke (Histochemical Journal, 6, pp. 79–80);
  6. (f) effects of nicotine and arousal on the monkey electroencephalogram: squirrel monkeys implanted with brain electrodes; cannulae implanted in the jugular vein; connected to a ball-valve cemented to skull; monkeys restrained in chairs, and injected intravenously with nicotine to give a blood concentration similar to that obtained by smoking; amphetamine and caffeine injected into some monkeys (Experientia, 29, pp. 71–73).

The MINISTER of STATE, HOME OFFICE (Lord Harris of Greenwich)

There is insufficient information in publication (e) for it to be identified with certainty as describing an experiment under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876.

The authors are not and have not been licensees under the Act. Information in respect of the other publications is as follows:

  1. (a) Licence and Certificate A;
  2. (b) Licence and Certificates A and E;
  3. (c) Licence and Certificate B;
  4. (d) Licence and Certificates A and E;
  5. (f) Licence and Certificates A and B.

Lord HOUGHTON of SOWERBY

asked Her Majesty's Government:

  1. (1) whether they are aware that the Huntingdon Research Centre is a subsidiary of Becton, Dickinson & Company, an American manufacturer of medical and laboratory equipment;
  2. (2) what licences are currently granted, and to how many persons, in this establishment under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876;
  3. (3) how many visits to this research centre have been made by Inspectors since it was opened in 1952, and when the last inspection was made.

Lord HARRIS of GREENWICH

(1) Yes; (2) 238; (3) 603. 10th March, 1975.