Oral Answers to Questions

Baroness Chapman of Darlington Excerpts

Thursday 28th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Nick Smith. [Interruption.] I will give the fellow a chance in due course, but I think there may be some domestic difficulty if I do not call the Front Bench.

[Jenny Chapman (Darlington) (Lab)]

I am grateful, Mr Speaker.

Paul Flynn never told me that I have star quality, but he did say that I might have a fighting chance if I bought his book.

Is the Minister, like me, opposed to unnecessary testing on animals? If he is, will he make sure that, as we seek to replicate regulatory regimes on the chemical industry, not a single unnecessary duplicate test is conducted on animals in this country?

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

This issue definitely came up in the debates on the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 last summer, and it was very much the Government’s position at the time that we would try to maintain standards on the protection of animal rights.

[Jenny Chapman]

What about the regulations?

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

And the regulations. I am determined to resist any idea of a second referendum, because that would extend the uncertainty and lack of clarity.