§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes to introduce legislation to reform the law relating to experiments on animals.
§ Mr. RaisonWe are committed to modernising and improving the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 when we know the outcome of the current work in the Council of Europe on the preparation of a European Convention.
§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many A-F certificates were issued by him for the years 1970, 1975 and 1979 under the provisions of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1896.
§ Mr. RaisonCertificates are given by the holders of the appointments set out in section 11 of the Act. A standard licence condition, however, provides that a certificate shall not have effect until the licensee has been notified that my right hon. Friend does not propose to exercise his power to disallow it. Departmental records are not kept in a way which would 131W enable information about the numbers of certificates allowed to be obtained without disproportionate cost.