Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative) on Friday, 29 May 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 2 June 2026. It was answered by Kanishka Narayan (Labour) on Monday, 8 June 2026 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 her Department's policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress has she made in applying only validated alternative methods to satisfy UK regulatory requirements for skin irritation testing.

Answer

The Government is supporting the replacement of animal use in skin sensitisation and irritation testing through delivery of the Replacing Animals in Science strategy. Validated alternative methods are used wherever possible, with animal testing required where sufficient information cannot otherwise be obtained in line with UK legislation. However, further development and validation is needed to ensure these approaches can be applied across all substances and regulatory contexts with sufficient confidence. The Government is working with regulators and partners to accelerate uptake, with a commitment to apply only validated methods by the end of 2026 and report progress later in 2026.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
4876
Session
2026-27
Related items
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Animal experiments
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk