§ Mr. Colin ShepherdTo ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Rochdale (Ms. Lynne) of 2 November,Official Report, column 60, what progress has been made with his European Community counterparts in the development of standards in respect of the testing of cosmetics on animals.
§ Mr. Leigh[holding answer 19 November 1992]: At the meeting of the Council of Ministers held on 3 November, we secured agreement on a common position on the proposed sixth Council amendment to the EC cosmetics directive which includes a ban on the use of ingredients tested on animals after January 1998, with a provision for the Commission on scientific advice, to propose the postponement of the ban where validated alternative testing methods are not available by then.