§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 24 March 1999,Official Report, column 307, how many goats have died in experiments at the Royal Navy Physiological Laboratory in (a) the last 12 months and (b) each of the previous five years; how many have been injured before undergoing experiments; what anaesthetics are administered to goats; and if he will list the experiments that have been performed on goats. [79725]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonThis is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. 1 have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Sir John Chisholm to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 14 April 1999:
I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question about the former Royal Navy Physiological Laboratory (RNPL) which is now part of the Centre for Human Sciences (CHS) Sector of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA).
You asked for information about DERA's research programme to determine the pressure and time limits for the safe escape of Navy personnel from a sunken submarine involving the use of goats. In addition to the ongoing escape programme carried out on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, DERA is also taking part in a 3 year co-operative programme with the United States Navy looking at submarine rescue. All of these experiments involve exposing goats to altered pressure and atmospheres similar to those that would be experienced by submariners evacuating a sunken submarine.
You asked what number of goats have died in experiments in the last 12 months and each of the last five years. DERA reports its statistics to the Home Office by calendar year and, in order to avoid confusion, I will follow the same format here. The experiments themselves do not cause death. The goats are closely monitored throughout the experiments and if signs of decompression sickness occur the goats may be recompressed in the same way as divers and submariners. Alternatively, if their condition warrants, they are humanely killed at that point. In each of the previous 5 years the numbers humanely killed during or following experiments were as follows:
Year Number of goats 1994 2 1995 8 1996 5 1997 1 1998 11 Since 1 January 1999, 9 goats have been humanely killed during or following experiments. It is likely that the total number of goats killed in 1999 will be higher than in recent years for three reasons. Firstly, two research programmes are being carried out concurrently 244W and, secondly, the conditions of the co-operative rescue programme are such that more animals will be humanely killed in the early stages. Thirdly, a restocking programme has started as many of the goats are getting old and these also, will be humanely killed.
None of the goats are injured prior to the experiments.
The anaesthetics administered to the goats are as follows
Rompun and Domitor (sedative/analgesic)Torbugesic (analgesic)Halothane/oxygen/nitrous oxide (general anaesthetic)Lignocaine (local anaesthetic)Sodium pentobarbitone (lethal injection by anaesthetic)The dosages are as recommended by the independent veterinary surgeon and administered by trained and licensed staff.
I hope this is helpful.