HL Deb 27 February 1984 vol 448 cc1146-7WA
Lord Houghton of Sowerby

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether all experiments conducted on living animals at Porton Down are authorised under the Cruely to Animals Act 1876, and whether they are included in the tables of Statistics of Experiments on Living Animals, published by the Home Office.

Lord Trefgarne

Yes.

Lord Houghton of Sowerby

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will place in the Library of the House evidence in support of their claim that injuries inflicted on anaesthetised animals by shooting enabled experiments to be made which saved lives in the Falklands campaign.

Lord Trefgarne

While it is difficult to draw precise correlations between particular pieces of research and the treatment of individual casualties, experimental work conducted over many years at CDE Porton Down has undoubtedly been instrumental in increasing the medical understanding of wounds. For example, CDE has made a particular contribution to knowledge of factors affecting contamination of wounds, such as those suffered in the Falklands campaign.

CDE staff pass on the results of their research through courses and lectures attended by military and civilian surgeons as well as by publishing papers.

Lord Houghton of Sowerby

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the shooting of anaesthetised animals at Porton down is authorised by Certificate B (which permits recovery for further treatment) granted by the Home Office under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876.

Lord Trefgarne

The majority of animals used in wounding studies are killed while still deeply anaesthetised. Some are allowed to recover, analgesics being administered as required. All the work is properly authorised by the Home Office under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876, in the case of non-recovery work, under licence alone. Appropriate certificates are issued for experiments in which animals are to be allowed to recover from anaesthesia.