§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many exemptions have been granted to the requirements in section 10(3) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in each year since 1987; and if he will list the suppliers of non-purpose bred animals in each case.
§ Mrs. RumboldSection 7 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, which required the designation of breeding and supplying establishments, came into effect on 1 January 1990. A number of exemptions were granted at that time to project licence holders to obtain animals from non-designated sources until animals from designated sources became available. Many of these have now lapsed because of the subsequent increase in availability of purpose bred animals. The remaining exemptions are principally for those types of primate and dog which are not available from designated breeders. No statistical information is held centrally about the granting of exemptions, which is done on a case-by-case basis.
It is not our practice to publish the names of suppliers of animals for use in scientific procedures.
§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether papers relating to scientific procedures on animals performed by Professor Wilhelm Feldberg while not holding a valid project licence in respect of those procedures are to be submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions for consideration of a prosecution under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
§ Mrs. RumboldWe are currently considering a number of documents received on 16 April from the Medical Research Council together with further correspondence received yesterday.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are currently taken by the Home Office inspectorate to ensure that experimentation using non-purpose bred animals does not contravene the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
§ Mrs. Rumbold[holding answer 14 June 1991]: The controls applied by the inspectorate to the use in scientific procedures of animals obtained from non-designated sources are exactly the same as the controls which are applied to the use of animals obtained from designated sources.
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§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to stop the supply of non-purpose bred animals for experimentation.
§ Mrs. Rumbold[holding answer 14 June 1991]: No. The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 provides that the most commonly used laboratory species, mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, together with dogs, cats and non-human primates may be used in scientific procedures only if they have been bred at a designated breeding establishment or obtained from a designated supplying establishment. However, exemptions to this requirement may be granted under section 10(3). Exemptions to obtain animals from non-designated sources are rare. All requests for exemptions are carefully examined. For less commonly used species there may well be no alternative other than to obtain them from non-designated sources.
Prisoners held in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales under prison rule 43 and young offender institution rule 46, 31 December 1990 Males Females Aged under 21 Adults Aged under 21 Adults All Own interests 140 1,629 3 17 1,789 Good order or discipline 42 210 2 8 262 All 182 1,839 5 25 2,051