asked the Secretary of State for Industry what studies he has made of the extent of the use of sperm oil in manufacturing processes; and if the presence of sperm oil is readily detectable in leathers.

In 1975 my Department commissioned the British Leather Manufacturer's Research Association to carry out a study into the properties of sperm oil and its application in the leather industry, culminating in the publication of a report in July 1976 entitled "The Utilization of Sperm Oil in the Leather Industry", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library. The BLMRA has been engaged in a further research programme funded by the Garment and Allied Industries Requirements Board. It is nearly always possible to determine the presence of sperm oil in leathers; its presence can be detected with reasonable certainty only if the lubicant used to treat a leather contains a sufficient amount of sperm oil.