§ Mr. BowdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 December,Official Report, columns 215–16, to the right hon. Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler), how many employees at Shamrock (GB) Ltd. have now received training in the wider ethical and legal issues associated with animal use; what communications between the management and the Home Office inspectorate have taken place since 2 December 1992 to agree the nature and context of training; and if he will visit the company to see what progress has been made with the training.
§ Mr. Charles WardleA training programme for employees of Shamrock (GB) Ltd. began this week and will be completed within the next three months. The Home Office inspectorate met the management of Shamrock on 3 December 1992, 21 January and 10 March 1993 and the management wrote to the Home Office inspectorate once.
On 17 March, I visited the company to establish what progress had been accomplished during the 15 weeks since my reply to my right hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler). On 23 March I discussed my findings with Home Office officials. On 24 and 25 March, I sought further advice from individual members of the Animal Procedures Committee. On 26 March, the managing director of Shamrock met me to agree the details of the content and conduct of a comprehensive training programme and of the programme to improve and replace facilities. On 31 March, the first 382W training session for all employees was conducted by Mrs. Judy McArthur Clark, president of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.