Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 24 of the Animals in Science Regulation Unit’s annual report for 2023, published on 17 December 2024, what steps her Department is taking to improve the ability of the inspection regime to detect animal welfare failings.

The Regulator’s annual report details the range of ways in which it detects non-compliance and seeks to drive greater compliance.

Through a current regulatory reform programme, the Regulator is presently recruiting to have more Inspectors for compliance related activities and will be reviewing its compliance regime for continuous improvement.

To provide assurance of compliance with the Regulations, the Regulator provides clear and accessible guidance and conducts regular on-site audits. The published framework for audit is based on clear benchmarks and assessing compliance through organisational governance to encourage greater commitment to compliance.