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Written question asked by Henry Smith (Conservative) on Thursday, 20 July 2023, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 4 September 2023. It was answered by Tom Tugendhat (Conservative) on Wednesday, 6 September 2023 on behalf of the Home Office.

Animal Experiments: Rabbits

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain 2022, published on 13 July 2023, for what reason the number of eye irritation tests in rabbits increased from 0 in 2021 to 3 in 2022; and whether she is taking steps to help reduce the number of such tests on rabbits in the future.

Answer

The Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals in Great Britain do not include data on the reasons for changes in the number of procedures carried out year to year.

The Government is committed to the development of alternatives to using animals in scientific procedures and continues to actively support and fund the development and dissemination of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) for the use of animals in scientific procedures. This is achieved through UK Research and Innovation’s funding of the National Centre for the 3Rs, which works nationally and internationally to drive the uptake of non-animal technologies, and through research into the development of alternatives by Innovate UK, the Medical Research Council, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
195360
Session
2022-23
Transferred
Yes
Subjects
Animal experiments Rabbits
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk