From: Thomas Elias
Clerk to the
Select Committee on Animals in Scientific Procedures
Committee Office
House of Lords
SW1A 0PW

Tel: 020 7219 5358
Fax: 020 7219 0277
email: [log in to unmask]



SELECT COMMITTEE ON ANIMALS IN SCIENTIFIC
PROCEDURES

CALL FOR EVIDENCE

The House of Lords has appointed a committee chaired by Lord Smith of
Clifton, to conduct an inquiry on issues respecting animals in
scientific procedures in the United Kingdom. The terms of reference of
the committee are:

"To consider and report on issues respecting animals in scientific
procedures in the United Kingdom, including-

(1) the working of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986;

(2) the effectiveness of and justification for animal procedures,
particularly in: (i) medicine (ii) education (iii) defence (iv)
product testing; and

(3) the development and use of alternatives to animal procedures;

-and in all the foregoing considerations to pay regard to:

· public attitudes, availability of information, labelling and
consumer issues; · developments in biotechnology, and the likely
future demand for animal procedures; · the effect of any changes on
the economy and the science base; · EU and international law and
practice."

The Committee will take evidence in writing and in person and produce
a report to the House, with recommendations addressed to the
Government, early next year. We invite written submissions by 23 May
relevant to our terms of reference, and addressed in particular to the
following questions:

1. What have been the strengths and weaknesses in the operation of the
Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act since 1986; how do you consider
that legislation on animal procedures needs to be changed? 2. What
scientific developments and changes in public attitudes have occurred
relevant to animal procedures since 1986; how have researchers and
regulators responded to such changes; and do you consider that their
response has been appropriate? 3. What are the current effective
alternatives to animal procedures; and what alternatives to animal
procedures might be developed? 4. How do you consider that demand for
animal procedures will develop in the future; and how should the
regulatory system respond?


INSTRUCTIONS TO WITNESSES

Evidence should be submitted to the Animal Procedures Committee,
Committee Office, House of Lords, London SW1A 0PW; Fax 020 7219 0277;
e-mail [log in to unmask] Evidence must arrive by Wednesday 23 May
2001.

This is a public call for evidence.  Organisations are encouraged to
bring this call for evidence to the attention of other groups and
individuals who may not have received a copy directly.

Short submissions are preferred. All long submissions should include a
one-page summary.

Evidence must be clearly printed or typed on single sides of A4 paper,
unstapled. Paragraphs should be numbered. If drawings or charts are
included, these must be black-and-white and of camera-ready quality.
Evidence should be signed and dated, with a note of the author's name
and status, and of whether the evidence is submitted on an individual
or corporate basis.  Only one copy is required.

Evidence becomes the property of the Committee, and may be printed or
circulated by the Committee at any stage.  You may publicise your
evidence yourself, but in doing so you must indicate that it was
prepared for the Committee.

Those who submit written evidence, and others, may be invited to give
oral evidence.  Oral evidence is usually given in public at
Westminster, and transcripts are published.  Persons invited to give
oral evidence will be notified separately of the procedure to be
followed and the topics likely to be discussed.

Public oral evidence hearings will begin after Easter.  The Committee
expects to report in March 2002.

The names of witnesses and organisations who are invited to give oral
evidence to the inquiry are indicated in advance in the Weekly Agenda
of the House of Lords Select Committees. This is free, and may be
ordered from: the Committee Office, House of Lords, London  SW1A OPW;
telephone 020 7219 6678; or consult our web site:  www.parliament.uk

A copy of this Call for Evidence will shortly be available online at:
www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199697/ldselect/ldscenqs.htm or
can be found through www.parliament.uk

Messages to the list are archived at
http://listserv.liv.ac.uk/archives/philos-l.html. Other philosophical
resources on the Web can be found at
http://www.liv.ac.uk/Philosophy/philos.html

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