Treatment Of Sentient Creatures

EDM number 636 in 1994-95, proposed by Joe Benton on 20/02/1995.

That this House understands concern and non-violent protest about the inhumane treatment of sentient creatures, including the export of veal calves; notes that consistent scientific research since that of I. D. Hogg in 1941 clearly shows that the human fetus reacts to painful stimuli from five to six weeks gestation when touched around the mouth and that this extends to an almost complete range of cutaneous responses at 12 weeks; notes that the perception of pain is principally within those parts of the thalamus which develop between nine and 12 weeks gestation; further notes that the cortex which develops after the thalamus influences pain perception by reducing its intensity; thus notes that in these early stages of development the fetus could be subjected to an intensity of pain greater than that experienced by born humans; recalls that Professor Sir William Liley, renowned internationally as the father of fetal medicine, comparing attitudes towards animals and the human fetus, recorded his unhappiness that we withhold from the human fetus a charitable consideration we extend to animals; and calls for changes to the Abortion Act to give protection to the human fetus who has less legal protection than laboratory animals and less charitable consideration from the 'politically correct' than they extend to livestock.

This motion has been signed by a total of 53 MPs, 7 of these signatures have been withdrawn.