The use of live animals for warfare experiments

Early day motion 291, tabled 12 March 2020 by Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru). Signed by 100 members.

That this House notes with concern that each year, thousands of animals including monkeys, mice, pigs and guinea pigs are experimented on using chemical, biological and other weapons, causing prolonged and extensive suffering; notes that while these experiments are not conducted to develop or test offensive weapons, suffering can continue for hours until the animal dies or is killed; further notes that examples of the symptoms of warfare experiments include bleeding genitals, writhing, substantial incapacitation, gasping, continuous tremor and visible production of saliva; highlights that the suffering is in addition to the standard deprivations of life in a laboratory that include restrictions on movement, inability to choose cage-mates and stress induced by human presence, light and sound; further notes that in 2018 at Porton Down, 1,941 animals were experimented upon for warfare experiments and that 30.2 per cent of those experiments were classified as severe which resulted in the highest level of pain, suffering, distress and lasting harm; and calls on the Government to introduce a ban on the use of live animals for warfare experiments.

Signatures by party: Scottish National Party 36, Labour 33, Liberal Democrat 7, Conservative 6, Labour/Co-operative 5, DUP 4, Plaid Cymru 4, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Alliance 1, Green 1, Independent 1.