§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many animals have been exported abroad to laboratories for experimental purposes in 1975 and 1976; and to which countries they have been sent.
§ Dr. SummerskillI refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Gillingham (Mr. Burden) on 10th May.—[Vol. 911, c. 78.]
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he is considering for regulating the activities of suppliers of animals for experimental purposes.
§ Dr. SummerskillNone. Such animals in Great Britain have the protection afforded by the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973, the Protection of Animals Act 1911 or the Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act 1912.
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cats were used in experiments in 1975; and where they were obtained from.
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§ Dr. SummerskillThe provisional figure is that 10,526 experiments were performed on cats under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876. Information about the source of the animals is not available.
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish details of the type and number of dogs, other than beagles, used for experimental purposes in 1975.
§ Dr. SummerskillThe provisional figure is that 16,195 experiments were performed on dogs, including beagles, under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876. No separate information is available about the number of beagles, or of other breeds, included in this figure.
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many experiments on animals are carried out now compared with the alternatives which were available in 1975.
§ Dr. SummerskillIt is not possible to establish whether alternatives might have been available for any of the experiments in question.
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost factor of breeding animals for vivisection compared with the use of machines or alternative methods of 1975.
§ Dr. SummerskillIt is not possible to obtain this information.