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Home Office

Answer

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Home Office inspectors there are with responsibility for scrutinising the impact of the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986; and what their duties are. [20921] Angela Eagle: There are currently 22 inspectors appointed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Plans have recently been announced to further increase the number of inspectors to 33 over the next three years. Five more inspectors will be taking up post in the new year and an additional six will be appointed in 2003. The duties of an inspector are set out as follows in section 18 (2) and 18 (3) of the 1986 Act. "18 (2) It shall be the duty of an inspector: (a) to advise the Secretary of State on applications for personal and project licences, on requests for their variation or revocation and on their periodical review; (b) to advise him on applications for certificates under this Act and on requests for their variation or revocation; (c) to visit places where regulated procedures are carried out for the purpose of determining whether those procedures are authorised by the requisite licences and whether the conditions of those licences are being complied with; (d) to visit designated establishments for the purpose of determining whether the conditions of the certificates in respect of those establishments are being complied with; (e) to report to the Secretary of State any case in which any provision of this Act or any condition of a licence or certificate under this Act has not been or is not being complied with and to advise him on the action to be taken in any such case. 18 (3) If an inspector considers that a protected animal is undergoing excessive suffering he may require it to be immediately killed by a method appropriate to the animal under Schedule 1 to this Act or by such other method as may be authorised by any personal licence held by the person to whom the requirement is addressed." The Inspectorate plays an active part in promoting the 3Rs (of reduction, refinement and replacement) in animal experimentation by, for example, preparation of Codes of Practice for the care and use of animals, the provision of technical expertise to others leading initiatives in this area, and participation in numerous awareness raising events.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

376 c835W; 20921

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Animal welfare Animal experiments Licensing Inspections Staff

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

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