§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what research he has commissioned into the overbreeding of small animals in London medical schools; and if he will make a statement; [2386]
(2) what assessment he has made of the findings of the report, "Access Denied", by the national Anti-Vivisection Society, a copy of which has been sent to him. [2388]
§ Mr. George HowarthThe allegations made by the National Anti-Vivisection Society in their report "Access Denied", including those of overbreeding of laboratory animals, were investigated by a senior member of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate. A letter outlining the findings of this investigation was sent to the Director of the National Anti-Vivisection Society in July 1996.
The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 anticipates the overbreeding of animals and specifically provides for their humane killing. Overbreeding is inevitable and arises from difficulty in predicting when and how many animals will be needed in the face of varying demands specifying age, sex, weight and strain, for example.
Mr. HanclockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to allow public scrutiny of project licence applications for animal experimentation. [2387]
§ Mr. HowarthSection 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 prohibits the disclosure of such information.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the members of the Animal Procedures Committee; when the terms of office of the members come to an end; and what plans he has to increase public openness of the appointments procedure. [2385]
§ Mr. HowarthThe members of the Committee are as follows:
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Appointed Professor Margaret Brazier (Appointed as Chairman in October 1993) July 1990 Professor Ronald Anderson December 1994 Professor Margaret Boden December 1994 Professor Barry Bridges January 1990 Professor Fiona Broughton Pipkin January 1990 Dr. David Christopher December 1994 Dr. Yvonne Cripps December 1994 Professor Robin Dunbar January 1997 Professor Paul Flecknell December 1994 Mr. John Gregory January 1997 Professor Susan Iversen January 1990 Mrs. Judy MacArthur Clark December 1994 Miss Cindy Milburn April 1995 Dr. Ian Purchase December 1994 Dr. Jacqueline Southee April 1995 Professor Michael Spyer January 1990 Dr. Anthony Suckling January 1992 Professor John Turner January 1997 Mr. Les Ward April 1995 A list of members is published each year in the Committee's annual report.
Members of the Committee are appointed for a term not exceeding four years. No member may be appointed for more than two terms. Appointments are always announced.
Consideration is currently being given to changes in the appointment process in the light of the recommendations made by the Nolan Committee.
§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what measures will be taken to promote and enforce the principles of reduction, refinement and replacement in respect of animal experiments; [3004]
(2) how the Government intends to promote and facilitate the investigation of viable alternatives to the use of animals in experiments. [3006]
§ Mr. HowarthUnder the terms of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, no programme of work can be authorised unless consideration has been given to alternatives; these include reduction, refinement and replacement. In assessing project licence applications, the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate ensures that such consideration has been given.
The Government makes funds available to the Animals Procedures Committee to sponsor research into and other work concerned with alternatives.
The Government fully supports the work of the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods.
§ Dr. JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Government will be pressing for immediate implementation of the ban on cosmetics testing on animals agreed by the EU Commission in 1993. [2879]
§ Mr. HowarthThe 6th Council amendment to the European Cosmetics Directive sought in 1993 to ban the marketing of cosmetic products containing ingredients, or combinations of ingredients, tested on animals after January 1998, but only if validated alternative tests, which offer an equivalent level of protection for the consumer, are in place.
Despite intense and continuing research efforts, mainly by the cosmetics industry itself, validated alternatives are not available for all tests and the European Union has had to postpone the deadline until June 2000.
§ Dr. JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to make the technical details of applications for licences under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and information regarding breaches of the regulations of this Act more easily available and accessible to the public. [2881]
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§ Mr. HowarthSection 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 prohibits the disclosure of such information.
General information on infringements of the Act is published each year in the annual report of the Animal Procedures Committee.
§ Dr. JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have to establish a Royal Commission inquiry into animal experiments; and what is the proposed time scale. [3003]
§ Mr. HowarthWe have no such plans at this time.