§ Sir Dudley Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the Government's policy towards the amendments proposed in document 5049 (1983) of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe to the draft European convention on the protection of animals in experimental procedures; and what is his policy towards the proposal that the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe should arrange for the periodical convening of a committee of experts to review the terms and observance of the convention in member countries which ratified it.
§ Mr. MellorThe Government do not believe that these amendments, which have not yet been endorsed by the parliamentary assembly, would make any significant improvement to the draft. The proposal for the periodic review of the terms and observance of the convention is acceptable to the Government in principle, subject to appropriate budgetary provision being available, and to there being an adequate period of experience of the working of the new arrangements to form the subject of such reviews.