Written question asked by Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 16 December 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 18 December 2025. It was answered by Kanishka Narayan (Labour) on Monday, 22 December 2025 on behalf of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Animal Experiments

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the strategy Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, which specific topics or scientific areas the proposed foundational training programme for PhD students and early-career researchers in non-animal technologies will cover.

Answer: These will be developed with stakeholders during the implementation of the Government’s strategy to support replacing animals in science. The strategy also commits to publish biennially from 2026 a list of alternative-methods research and development priorities, coalescing UK scientists around these areas and incentivising partnerships between research organisations, CROs and industry. We would expect this process to inform the topics for the training programme.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 100695
Session: 2024-26
Related items: Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods
Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Command papers
House of Commons
House of Lords
Subjects: Animal experiments Postgraduate education
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk