Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to assess and improve the standards under which laboratory animals, including dogs, are bred and kept in extreme heat episodes.

The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) provides robust protections for animals bred, supplied or used in scientific procedures. Under ASPA, licensed establishments are responsible at all times for ensuring the welfare of animals in their care, and establishments must comply with the standards set out in the Code of Practice for the care and accommodation of animals bred, supplied or used for scientific purposes, and the terms of their licences. This includes ensuring appropriate arrangements are in place during periods of extreme weather including effective monitoring, contingency planning and sufficient trained staff to maintain animal welfare and facility standards.

Standard licence conditions mandate that daily checks of animal welfare and environmental conditions are undertaken by competent and appropriately trained personnel. Any concerns identified must be assessed and acted on promptly to minimise avoidable harm or distress to animals.

The Home Office Regulator assesses compliance with ASPA through a programme of announced and unannounced audits, which inspect the health, welfare and environmental conditions of animals at licensed establishments. Where required, ASRU may request updates from establishments on environmental conditions, including temperature monitoring, to ensure that appropriate standards of animal welfare are maintained.