§ Ms. LynneTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement outlining his Department's and the Council of Ministers' response to proposals from the European Parliament and Commission to end cosmetic tests on animals.
§ Mr. LeighThe Government's policy in the negotiations on the proposed sixth Council amendment to the cosmetics directive is wherever possible to eliminate animal testing and if this does not prove possible to keep animal testing to a minimum consistent with human safety. In recognition of the progress made in developing skin and eye irritancy tests, the United Kingdom has called on the European Community to set 1998 as a target date for the replacement of animal tests in those areas subject to there being validated alternatives. We will continue to press for a reduction in animal testing and we hope that during our presidency member states will agree to the phasing out of testing on animals when they can be replaced with suitably validated non-animal alternatives.