§ Ms KellyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he has made for the co-ordination of Government action to prevent intimidation by animal rights extremists. [159533]
§ The Prime MinisterI am answering this question, as I have responsibility for establishing ministerial committees.
On 28 March the Government announced a range of measures to prevent the intimidation of people who work in, or are connected with, legitimate animal research establishments in our consultation paper "Animal Rights Extremism: Government Strategy", which was published 402W that day. A new ministerial committee has now been formed with the task of taking forward, and wherever possible adding to these initiatives, with the overall aim of reassuring people involved in legitimate research upon animals, whether as scientific workers, managers, or investors, that criminal intimidation will not be allowed to succeed.
The terms of reference for the committee will be:
To co-ordinate policy to protect those who work in, or are connected with, legitimate animal research establishments against intimidation by extremist groups.The membership will be:Secretary of State for the Home Department (Chairman)Minister of State, Department for the Environment, Transport and the RegionsMinister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and FoodMinister of State, Department for Education and EmploymentMinister of State, Scotland OfficeEconomic Secretary to the TreasuryParliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home OfficeParliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of HealthParliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and IndustryParliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Wales OfficeParliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office.The Chief Scientific Adviser will also be invited to attend meetings of the group. Other outside experts will be invited to attend as necessary.