Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) animals and (b) species of animals were used for the production of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies in research and testing under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in (i) 2018 and (ii) 2019.

With reference to the reports entitled Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 2018 and 2019, published in October 2019 and July 2020 respectively, data on the use of animals in the production of antibodies, whether monoclonal or polyclonal, is collected from establishments. However, the use of animals for antibody production falls within a range of purposes in the published data. Therefore, it is not possible to extract from the data (a) the number or (b) species of animals used for the production of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies in research and testing in 2018 or 2019.

All applications that include animals used for the production of monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies are subject to a harm-benefit analysis, undertaken by the Home Office Inspectorate, to ensure any harm which may be caused to the animals is justified by the expected benefits for humans, animals or the environment. The rigorous regulatory system in GB requires that no production of antibodies takes place if there is a validated non-animal alternative that would achieve the scientific outcomes sought. Project licence proposals for research on animals for which there is no non-animal alternative for the production of monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies must comply fully with the principles of the 3Rs: replacement, reduction and refinement.