USE OF PRIMATES IN SCIENTIFIC PROCEDURES

Early day motion 1704, tabled 28 February 2006 by David Drew (Labour). Signed by 166 members.

That this House notes the use of thousands of non-human primates each year in scientific procedures in the United Kingdom and across the EU; further notes that their level of sentience and highly developed social instincts make it extremely difficult to meet their behavioural needs in a laboratory setting; further notes that physical differences between human beings and other primates may make it impossible to predict reliably human outcomes from primate procedures; further notes public opposition to the use of primates; calls upon the Government to extend the current ban on the use of great apes to all primates as a matter of urgency; and further calls on the Government to press for an EU-wide ban on primate experiments as part of the impending review of European Union Directive 86/609/EEC.

Signatures by party: Labour 110, Liberal Democrat 30, Conservative 15, DUP 3, Scottish National Party 3, Plaid Cymru 2, Independent 1, Respect 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.