§ Dr. Summerskillasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the draft text of the new European convention concerning the protection of vertebrate animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes to become available; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RaisonThe ad hoc committee of experts on the protection of animals which is drafting the proposed convention for the Council of Europe met on 11 to 15 May, under United Kingdom chairmanship, and completed its consideration of the full draft text. The official copy of this text should be available from the Council of Europe in the next few weeks, but a version of it based on our delegation's record, which we believe to be accurate, has already been sent by the Home Office to all interested Government Departments and a wide range of organisations, representing both users of animals and others concerned with their welfare, which have been regularly consulted by the Home Office during the preparation of the draft covention. I shall send a copy to the hon. Member and I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House; when it is received a copy of the official draft text will also be deposited.
This latest text, however, is not final. The delegations from the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany respectively made formal reservations on two draft articles and several other delegations asked for more time to consider whether they wished to make further observations. Accordingly, the Committee agreed to meet again in January 1982. It will then also have before it the advice of two smaller working groups on two detailed ancillary documents. We are unable to say when the ad hoc committee of experts will submit its final text to the Committee of Ministers.