Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) inspectors were responsible for assessing project licence applications and (b) project licence applications were approved for licences to use animals under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in 2024.

The number of staff that are employed to process and issue project licences in the Home Office Regulator, under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, are published in the Regulator's annual report accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/animals-in-science-regulation-unit-annual-reports.

In 2024, the Regulator had 12 Inspectors and 472 project licence applications were approved.

The Regulator is currently undertaking a structured programme of reforms. This will increase the total number of Inspectors to 22 by end of 2025. The Regulator will then operate a flexibly resourced licensing function and allocate resource according to demand.