asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken recently to satisfy himself that the present powers are adequate to prevent unnecessary and painful experiments on living animals; and what action he proposes to improve the system of inspection.

My right hon. Friend is satisfied from close contact with his inspectors that the safeguards provided by the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, and the system of inspection carried out, are adequate to achieve the object of preventing unnecessary suffering without impeding useful research.