Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department takes to ensure that an equivalent test is not available without the use of animals before issuing a licence for animal experimentation.

The use of animals in scientific procedures is only authorised by the Home Office Regulator where there is clear scientific benefit, to people, animals, or the environment, and only when all aspects of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 have been fulfilled.

Licence applicants are required to robustly evidence their consideration of alternative methods. The Regulator reviews all licence applications and will only issue a licence once it is satisfied there are no practicable alternative methods.