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Exchange Rate

Mr. Gill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will assess the benefits of linking sterling to the US dollar. [18840]

Mrs. Liddell: No.

DEFENCE

Espionage

Mr. Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will establish an inquiry into the role of officials in advising Ministers about the use of Hull trawlers for espionage and counter-espionage. [16688]

Dr. Reid: I do not believe this is necessary.

Mr. Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the use of trawlers for espionage and counter-espionage in the late 1960s and 1970s. [16690]

Dr. Reid: A very limited number of trawlers assisted the Government in specific intelligence gathering in the 1960s and early 1970s.

At the time there was also a scheme whereby Royal Navy officers gained sea going experience in merchant ships, including deep sea trawlers. All RN personnel were encouraged to report back any opportunity sightings of interest, as indeed were the trawlermen themselves.

Animal Experiments

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many procedures resulting in the deaths of animals carried out (a) at Porton Down and (b) elsewhere in the last five years were undertaken on behalf of (i) other countries and (ii) other EU countries; [17618]

2 Dec 1997 : Column: 172

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 25 November 1997]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA). I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 2 December 1997:




YearRodentsPigsMonkeys
19923,79113272
19935,97610936
19946,84410217
19958,1124817
199610,1294814

Information on the number of procedures resulting in the deaths of such animals as a result of research conducted elsewhere is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.



2 Dec 1997 : Column: 173





Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many animals were used in experiments carried out at Porton Down in each year since 1967 (a) in total, (b) by species and (c) by category of experiments. [17919]

2 Dec 1997 : Column: 174

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 28 November 1997]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA). I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Norman Baker, dated 2 December 1997:



2 Dec 1997 : Column: 173

YearDogGuinea PigHamsterHorseMousePigRabbitRatGoatSheepCattleChickNon-human primate(24)OtherTotal
1980498,012005,318744693,61902800199317,771
1981907,078007,916902071,670020001371517,223
19821937,718003,783712041,1070280014518113,430
19831676,48800952751351,249071001861489,471
1984994,833002,530931722,52901000027727410,907
1985572,007002,098551861,760010500269406,577
198631598001,461402823,6900470024906,398
19878393071,719252395,602018600117118,307
198801,02401962111945,6810871016468,131
19894804001,570541516,275092106429,017
199006700502,070861264,82770113018008,093
199103060461,1481021334,1900120123106,079
199202310441,3191321322,4720105017204,506
199303540163,0691091362,907070003606,697
19940364004,946102161,898073001707,416
19950495006,70648391,406036001708,747
199607924207,70148192,4280530014011,097

(24) Includes animals not normally returned as species, e.g. ferrets and gerbils.

Note:

Numbers of procedures carried out on animals from 1980 to 1996, by species and year, as returned to the Home Office by CBD Sector.


2 Dec 1997 : Column: 173




Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors underlie the increase in the numbers of animal experiments carried out at Porton Down between 1992 to 1997; and if he will make it his policy to review the range of experiments undertaken with a view to reducing their number [17921]

2 Dec 1997 : Column: 174

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 28 November 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, East (Mr. Livingstone) on 25 November 1997, Official Report, column 500.


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