§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to introduce 167W legislation for new controls over animal experimentation and vivisection; and whether he will publish a Green or White Paper on the subject.
§ Mr. RaisonWe intend to improve and modernise the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 when parliamentary time permits and final agreement has been reached on the terms of the draft Council of Europe convention on this subject. Substantial progress has already been made in drafting the convention, but some matters remain to be settled, and the complete draft will then have to be adopted by the Committee of Ministers. In the meanwhile, however, the Government are giving further study to detailed proposals for giving effect to its intention. Plans for carrying this forward will be announced as soon as possible.