§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has regarding the use of sheep at Porton in 1975 for testing water cannon; and in what manner such tests took place.
§ Dr. GilbertSheep are involved in experiments aimed at assessing the nature and treatment of possible injuries from various causes including water jets. All of the work is carried out under licence and is subject to Home Office inspection. All sheep involved in experiments for these purposes are anaethetised before use and are not allowed to regain consciousness.
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§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many experiments on living animals took place at Porton and elsewhere under his aegis in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975.
§ Dr. GilbertFor information covering the years 1970 to 1974 I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 18th April 1975 to my hon. Friend the Member for Luton, East (Mr. Clemitson). In 1975 the total number of live animals used at the Porton establishments was 110,365. I will publish information on the number of animals used in 1975 at other Ministry of Defence establishments in theOfficial Report as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any experiments on living animals take place under the aegis of his Department other than at Porton; and, if so, where and how many.
§ Dr. GilbertExperiments on living animals other than at Porton take place at the following establishments within the Ministry of Defence: the Royal Army Medical College, Millbank; the David Bruce Laboratories, East Everleigh; the Institute of Naval Medicine, Alverstoke; the Institute of Pathology and Medical Training, RAF Halton; the Institute of Aviation Medicine, RAF Farnborough; The Royal Naval Physiological Laboratory, Alverstoke.
I will publish details of the number of animals involved in experiments at these establishments in the Official Report as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many experiments on living animals at Porton in 1975 took place under licence; how many required additional certificates; and what they were.
§ Dr. GilbertAll of the experiments at the Porton establishments in 1975 which involved animals were conducted under licence. The total number of experiments for which additional certificates are required is recorded by the Home Office, but no record is kept of the establishments or species involved.
§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for Defence in what medical and scientific journals details of the experi- 760W ments performed on animals at Porton are published.
§ Dr. GilbertJournals in which research involving animal experiments were reported in 1975 included: "Archives of Toxicology"; "Journal of Reproductive Fertility"; "Veterinary Record"; "Medicine Science and Law"; "Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology"; Journal of the Forensic Science Society "British Journal of Experimental Pathology"; "Journal of Pathology"; "Journal of Medical Microbiology"; "Journal of general Virology"; "Journal of Biological Standards"; "International Archives of Allergy and applied Immunology"; "Lancet"; "Journal of immunological Methods".
§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for Defence what other animals were subjected to experiments at Porton in 1975; and to what experiments they were subjected.
§ Dr. GilbertIn the table of animals used at the Porton establishments in 1975 given in reply to my hon. Friend on 9th November 1976—[Vol. 919,c. 142–3]—the final category covered fish. Records are not kept of the experiments in which they are involved.