§ Mr. Lomasasked the Prime Minister which Department is responsible for finding and developing techniques to replace living animals in experiments and research.
§ The Prime MinisterIn this matter, which is rightly of great public concern, responsibility is placed upon all Ministers whose Departments use such experiments always to seek the possibility of using alternatives. The Government now urge all licensees under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 to take every reasonable step to confirm, before using living animals, that their investigations cannot be effectively carried out by any alternative means. Discussions are taking place between Departments about what further action the Government might take in this field.