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Written question asked by Henry Smith (Conservative) on Tuesday, 12 July 2022, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 14 July 2022. A holding answer was provided on Wednesday, 20 July 2022. A substantive answer was provided by Tom Pursglove (Conservative) on Thursday, 21 July 2022 on behalf of the Home Office.

Animal Experiments

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure faster progress on the development of non-animal technologies for use in scientific research and testing; and if she will make a statement.

Answer

The Government is clear that the use of animals in science is justified, for the benefits it brings to human, animal and environmental health and safety.

The Government is committed to assuring that those animals used in science are protected. The legal framework in the UK requires that animals are only ever used in scientific procedures where there are no alternatives, where the number of animals used is the minimum needed to achieve the scientific benefit, and where the potential harm to animals is limited to that needed to achieve the scientific benefit.

The Government continues to actively support and fund alternatives to the use of animals. The National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement, and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) leads on developing and sharing techniques in the UK and internationally.

Since the NC3Rs was launched in 2004, it has invested £77 million in research towards developing new approaches to Replace, Reduce and Refine the use of animals in scientific procedures, and an additional £32 million through its CRACK IT programme for SMEs and universities to work with the pharmaceutical and chemical industries on collaborative 3Rs projects that aim to generate commercial opportunities in this area.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
34889
Session
2022-23
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Animal experiments Research Science
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk