Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to meet with representatives from civil society to discuss the Government’s strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods to the use of animals in science prior to it being published later this year.

The Government is committed to supporting the use of alternative methods to the use of animals in science and the Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”, which is a long-term goal. The government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods later this year. The government has been and will continue to consult civil society as this process unfolds.