§ Mr. Thomas Coxasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what checks are made to ensure that animals used for research are not subject to severe and enduring pain during tests being made on them.
§ Mr. MellorIt is a condition of every licence issued under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 that animals not fully anaesthetised shall not be allowed to experience severe pain that is likely to endure, whether or not the purpose of the experiment has been achieved. Licences under the Act are granted only to applicants who can be trusted to observe its provisions and, where appropriate, licensees are supervised by senior staff. Members of the Cruelty to Animals Inspectorate make direct checks in the course of their regular, mostly unannounced, visits to places registered under the Act for the performance of experiments. In 1981 they made 6,743 such visits. We are satisfied that these safeguards appear to work successfully in securing observance of the pain condition.