Written question asked by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour) on Tuesday, 24 February 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 26 February 2026. It was answered by Kanishka Narayan (Labour) on Wednesday, 4 March 2026 on behalf of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Science: Research

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what metrics will be used to measure progress in reducing the number of animals used in scientific research; and how often this data will be published.

Answer: Transparent targets and milestones and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the delivery of the Replacing Animals in Science Strategy will be published later in 2026. It is not yet possible to replace all animal use due to the complexity of biological systems and regulatory requirements for their use. Any work to phase out animal testing must be science-led, in lock step with partners, so we will not be setting arbitrary timelines for overall reduction, but we will publish timelines for specific actions.

Secondary information