7 September 2007 - Green MEP Caroline Lucas has welcomed a European Parliamentary vote to ban scientific experiments on primates.

A Written Declaration -the European Parliament’s equivalent of an Early Day Motion - calling for an end to all non-human primate experiments has been adopted with the support of more than 400 MEPs, just a few short of the 438 attracted by Dr Lucas in an earlier motion banning the import of seal fur into the EU.

"This level of support amongst MEPs in fantastic," said Dr Lucas, who is also vice-president of the Parliament’s cross-party animal welfare group.

"It’s an important first step: the challenge for the EU now is to develop a timetable for replacing these experiments will non-animal alternatives, a move that will deliver better scientific results -with less unnecessary suffering.

"I hope the Commission will now be working on such a proposal and MEPs will tighten up the details when it comes back before Parliament."

ENDS