HC Deb 20 February 1991 vol 186 c171W
Mr. Lawrence

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many infringements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 have come to light in each year since the implementation of the Act; what were the offences charged; how many defendants were convicted and for how many offences; what was the range of punishments imposed; and how many experimenters had their licences revoked.

Mrs. Rumbold

In 1987, the first year of the operation of the Act, nine cases of infringements were decided. None of the cases was sufficiently serious to merit referral to the Director of Public Prosecutions. In one case a licence was revoked.

In 1988, 20 cases of infringements were decided, of which two were referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions. In both cases the Director of Public Prosecutions decided not to institute criminal proceedings. In two cases the relevant licences were revoked.

In 1989, 14 cases of infringements were decided. No cases were referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions. In one case a licence was revoked.

In 1990, 14 cases of infringements were decided. No cases were referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions. In three cases, a total of seven project and personal licences were revoked.

Infringements may include breaches of conditions of licences as well as possible offences under the Act. Where licences are not revoked, an infringement may lead, where appropriate, to the imposition of additional strict conditions on the project or personal licences or on the certificate of designation for the establishment.

Mr. Lawrence

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visits by inspectors to animal experimentation laboratories were carried out in each of the past five years.

Mrs. Rumbold

Details for 1978 to 1988 are given in "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain, 1988"—Cm 743—and details for 1989 in the 1989 volume—Cm 1152. The figures for 1989 reflect a change in the system for recording visits made by inspectors in the light of the change in their duties under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

Mr. Lawrence

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of laboratories licensed for animal experimentation under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in each year since the entry into force of the Act.

Mrs. Rumbold

At 31 December 1987 there were 372 such establishments. On the same date in 1988 and 1989 there were 375.