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Home Office

Answer

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 1 July 2004, Official Report, column 7WS, on the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, whether the publishing of anonymised information in relation to section 24 of the Animal Act 1986 (a) will include information on whether all possible alternative methods to animal experimentation were exhausted and (b) will be compulsory to all bodies undertaking animal experimentation; and whether bodies deemed to be in contravention of the Animals Act 1986 will have their licence removed immediately. [188153] Caroline Flint: The ministerial statement of 1 July made clear that the Government are pressing ahead with plans to publish anonymised information about projects licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 as part of the Home Office publication scheme under the Freedom of Information Act. All new project license applicants will be required to provide the information for publication as part of the licence application process--so it will be mandatory but not retrospective. Final decisions have yet to be taken on the precise details to be provided, as field trial work is still in progress. However, it should be noted as regards alternatives to animal use, that under the 1986 Act the Home Office can only license projects when satisfied that no such alternatives exist. Action taken on contraventions of the 1986 Act is determined by the particular circumstances of each case. Revocation of a license can be among the options to be considered.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

424 c1895W;424 c1893W; 188153

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Disclosure of information Animal experiments Licensing

Legislation

Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986

Link

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