Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to her Answer of 8 June to question 187868 on Artificial Intelligence and Life Sciences: Research, what proportion of UK Research and Innovation funds does research involving (a) humans, (b) human materials, (c) animal models and (d) non-animal technologies receive; and what steps UKRI is taking to increase the proportion of funding for non-animal technologies in relation to animal models.

It is not possible to break down UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding data in this way. The Government actively supports and funds the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce, and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs), primarily through funding from UKRI for the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs). UKRI provide around £10 million funding per annum to the NC3Rs for research to develop 3Rs technologies.

The NC3Rs has committed to increase funding for technologies that replace the use of animals, including through their £4.7 million joint funding call with UKRI’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council for next generation non-animal technologies.