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Animal Procedures Committee

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Joan Ryan) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. On behalf of the Home Secretary and the Minister for the Department of Health and Social Services and Public Safety for Northern Ireland, I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Peter Hunt and Dr Mark Prescott as members of the Animal Procedures Committee from 1 April 2006, each for a four-year term. Dr Hunt is biological standards officer at Cardiff University. He has experience in promoting and implementing the replacement, refinement and reduction in the use of animals in scientific procedures (the ““three Rs””). Dr Prescott is a programme manager at the National Centre for the Three Rs. He has expertise in animal welfare, primatology and a strong interest in alternatives to the use of animals in scientific procedures. I welcome the contribution that each will bring to this important advisory committee.