§ Lord Houghton of Sowerbyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the recent agreement reached on the ad hoc Committee of Experts for the Protection of Animals on the draft Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental Purposes clears the way for the Home Secretary to produce plans for the up-dating of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876; and when these are likely to be ready.
§ Lord EltonAlthough agreement has now been reached by thead hoc Committee of Experts on a substantial part of the draft Convention some matters remain to be settled and the complete draft will then have to be adopted by the Committee of Ministers. The progress that has been made will, however, permit the Government to give further study to detailed proposals for giving effect to its stated intention of improving and modernising the Act when parliamentary time permits. The plans for carrying forward this intention will be announced as soon as possible.