Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the reasons for which her Department did not undertake any eye irritation tests on animals in 2021; and if she will take steps to ensure that no tests are undertaken in future.

Animal testing is only authorised where there is scientific benefit, to people, animals or the environment, and only when all aspects of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 have been fulfilled. This includes testing only being authorised after successful completion of a harm benefit assessment, when there are no scientifically satisfactory alternative methods and where the principles of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) have been fully applied.

The statistics have shown a continual decline in the requirement for testing of the irritancy of substances to the eye. This decline has largely been due to the successful development and approval of non-animal methods. The Government continues to be committed to the full implementation of the 3Rs and for developing new 3Rs techniques through support to the National Centre for the 3Rs.