Question No 43 has been withdrawn by the author.

President. - As they deal with the same subject, the following questions will be taken together:

Question No 44 by Gary Titley (H-0406/94)

Subject: Use of stray dogs in experiments in Portugal

A number of reports in the UK have suggested that stray dogs are being used for laboratory experiments in Portugal. In view of Directive 86/609/EEC which prohibits the use of stray animals in experiments, is the Commission investigating the aforementioned reports, and if they are true, what action does the Commission intend to take in order to put a stop to this practice?

Question No 45 by Caroline Jackson (H-0432/94)

Subject: EU directive on animal experiments

Is the Commission aware of the accusation made by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV), substantiated by eye-witness and photographic evidence, that stray dogs are being traded for use in laboratory experiments in Portugal; and what action is the Commission taking to investigate the situation urgently and insist on the application of the directive governing experiments on live animals?