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Home Office

Answer

Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the impact of the Human Genome Project on (a) the total number of animals, (b) the number of genetically modified mice and (c) the number of genetically modified primates, that will be used in the next few years. [218611] Caroline Flint: It is assumed that the question refers to animals used in scientific procedures. It is not possible to estimate the total number of genetically modified animals that will be used in that way over the next few years as a result of the Human Genome Project. That will be largely dependent on strategic research and funding decisions by the funding councils and the private sector, and the nature and quality of the resulting scientific proposals. Any impact the Human Genome Project does have may be offset by a reduction in the use of non-genetically modified animals. During 2003--the latest year for which figures are available--genetically modified animals were used in 764,000 regulated scientific procedures representing 27 per cent. of all procedures for 2003 compared with 26 per cent. in 2002 and 8 per cent. in 1995. Rodents-- nearly all mice--were used in 98 per cent. of these procedures. It is likely that this trend of a gradually increasing use of such animals over the last decade will continue as advances in genetic science open up new avenues of research, and this may well include work arising from the Human Genome Project. At present there is no use of genetically modified non- human primates licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, and we do not expect that to change in the foreseeable future. Any applications for licences to conduct such work would be referred for advice to the Animal Procedures Committee. Whatever the impact of the Human Genome Project we will continue, in administering the 1986 Act, only to license use of animals when we consider there is no alternative, and then only when both the number of animals to be used and any resulting suffering are minimised.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

218611; 431 c1473-4W;431 c1467-8W

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Animals Animal experiments Biotechnology Genetic engineering Genetics Genetically modified organisms Primates Research Rodents

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk