§ Mr. David Priceasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many seats in the House of Commons are currently held by hon. Members from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, respectively; what is the average electorate in each of the four countries; and what changes would be necessary in the distribution of seats between the four countries in order to ensure that each country averaged the same number of electors per constituency.
§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on what happens to the 50,000 animals exported from the United Kingdom to laboratories abroad each year.
§ Dr. SummerskillMy right hon. Friend has no information about, or departmental responsibility for, the export of animals.
§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, having regard to the dangers of importing diseases in primates and the recent incident at Porton, he will ban the import of laboratory animals into the United Kingdom.
§ Dr. SummerskillMy right hon. Friend has no power to impose such a ban.
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§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that legislation framed in 1876 when experiments on living animals numbered 350 annually remains adequate in 1976, in view of the fact that such experiments will now exceed 5 million.
§ Dr. SummerskillThis Act has proved adaptable to the development of experimental work on living animals. The Littlewood Committee, which reported in 1965, found that it had been generally effective, partly because it commanded the ready support of those subject to it, partly because the Home Office adopted a wide interpretation, insisted on humane standards and administered the law conscientiously.
§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that 14 inspectors can ensure that the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 is fully enforced in over 5 million experiments taking place in 600 establishments; and if he will increase the number of inspectors substantially.
§ Dr. SummerskillYes. The complement of the Inspectorate is kept under review in the light of the amount of work that needs to be done. In 1975 over 90 per cent. of all experiments were performed in no more than 65 of the places registered under the Act.
§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in light of the fact that no prosecutions have ever been brought under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876, if he will implement the 1965 legislative recommendations of the Little Committee.
§ Dr. SummerskillI have nothing to add to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friend's Question on 14th October.— [Vol. 917, c. 154–5.]