Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many animal testing licences for chemical substances used as cosmetic ingredients were for substances used exclusively in cosmetics between 2019 and 2022.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

Between 2019 and 2022, the Government granted one licence authorising animal testing for chemicals used exclusively as ingredients in cosmetic products, for the purposes of worker or environmental safety under chemicals (REACH) regulations.

I can confirm that, following the Government’s ban of 17 May 2023, no animal testing is being conducted, nor will any testing be authorised, of chemicals that are exclusively intended to be used as ingredients in cosmetics products.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2023 to Question 2844 on Animal Experiments: Cosmetics, whether animal testing of chemicals used exclusively as cosmetics ingredients is being conducted in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

The regulation of animals in science under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 is a transferred matter under the Northern Ireland devolution settlement.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his policy to revoke licences for testing cosmetics ingredients on animals issued between 2019 and 2022.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

The Home Secretary’s written statement of 17 May 2023 announced a ban on new licences for animal testing of chemicals used exclusively as cosmetics ingredients, carried out under chemicals (REACH) regulations for the purpose of worker and environmental safety.

The Home Office has completed its review of existing ‘legacy’ licences and has engaged with the relevant companies. I can confirm that, in Great Britain, no animal testing is being conducted, nor will any testing be authorised, of chemicals that are exclusively intended to be used as ingredients in cosmetics products.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the written statement entitled Regulation Update of 17 May 2023, HCWS779, what recent progress his Department has made on administering the ban on animal testing for chemicals used as cosmetic ingredients over the long-term.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

The Home Secretary’s written statement of 17 May 2023 announced a ban on new licences for animal testing of chemicals used exclusively as cosmetics ingredients, carried out under chemicals (REACH) regulations for the purpose of worker and environmental safety.

The Home Office has reviewed existing ‘legacy’ licences and engaged with the relevant companies. I can confirm that no animal testing is now authorised in Great Britain of chemicals that are exclusively intended to be used as ingredients in cosmetics products.

The Home Office is working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs, to review the effective administration of the ban over the longer term. This will have due regard to the needs of the science industry, the need to ensure worker and environmental safety, and the need to protect animals from unnecessary harm.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Written Statement of 17 May 2023 HCWS779 on Animal Testing, how many of the time-limited licenses issued between 2019 and 2022 which permit the testing on animals of ingredients used in cosmetics production are valid.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

On 17 May 2023, the Government introduced a licensing ban on animal testing of chemicals exclusively intended as ingredients in cosmetics.

There are currently three live licences that authorise animal testing of chemicals used as ingredients in cosmetics.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to cancel or recall existing licenses that allow companies to carry out exclusive-use cosmetics ingredients on animals.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

The Government is engaging with the relevant companies to urgently determine a way forward on legacy licences.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Written Statement of 17 May 2023 on Regulation Update, UIN HCWS779, whether the review of the legal framework for the effective administration of the animal testing ban for chemicals exclusively intended as ingredients in cosmetics products will be subject to a public consultation; what her timeline is for the review; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

The Government is taking action to seek alternatives to animal testing for worker and environmental safety of chemicals used exclusively as cosmetic ingredients.

On 17 May 2023, the Home Secretary announced a licensing ban with immediate effect. The Home Office is working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and other departments to review the effective administration of the licensing ban on animal testing of chemicals exclusively intended as ingredients in cosmetics. This will have due regard of the needs of the science industry, the need to ensure worker and environmental safety, and the need to protect animals from unnecessary harm. The Government is undertaking this work at pace and timings and engagement will be informed by the evidence.

The Government is also engaging with relevant companies to determine a way forward on legacy licences.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she is taking steps to revoke existing licenses which allow companies to test exclusive-use cosmetics ingredients on animals.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

The Government is engaging with the relevant companies to urgently determine a way forward on legacy licences.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government plans to revoke existing licences for testing cosmetics ingredients on animals issued between 2019 and 2022.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

The Government is engaging with the relevant companies to urgently determine a way forward on legacy licences.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many existing legacy licences are in force for testing cosmetics ingredients on animals; how many animals have been used for (a) such testing and (b) testing for ingredients used in (i) cosmetics and (ii) other types of products in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and whether she is taking steps to phase out such licences.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

The Animals in Science Regulation Unit has granted seven project licences, or amendments to licences, that are currently active, that specifically authorise the testing on animals of chemicals used as ingredients in cosmetics under the REACH regulations.

A project licence authorises a programme of work within which the procedures are performed. Data are not collected on the specific numbers of animals used for individual tests.

The Home Office publishes annual statistics on the use of animals in scientific procedures. The statistics can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/animals-in-science-statistics

The Government is engaging with the relevant companies to review and determine a way forward on the remaining active licences.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of existing legacy licences for testing exclusive-use cosmetics ingredients on animals on animal welfare.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

The Government is engaging with the relevant companies to urgently determine a way forward on legacy licences.

All establishments licensed to breed or supply animals, or to carry out regulated procedures on animals under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in Great Britain are subject to the full requirements of the Act. This provides for a regulatory regimen of activities that protects animals in science including audits and inspections by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit to ensure compliance with the terms of their licences, the Code of Practice and with the Act.

Both announced and unannounced site visits are undertaken within a risk-based framework to assure compliance and inspect the welfare, health, and environment of animals at each establishment.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will review her Department's policies on the testing cosmetic products on animals.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Home Office is responsible for animal testing. The Home Secretary made a statement which can be found here.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislative proposals on banning animal testing of substances exclusively for use in cosmetics (a) where testing is required in order to assess the risk to workers of exposure to that substance and (b) in all other circumstances.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

Animal testing of cosmetics for consumer safety has been banned in the UK since 1998 and this remains in force.

On 17 May 2023 the Government announced it is going further by banning, with immediate effect, licences to test ingredients exclusively used in the production of cosmetics for the purposes of worker safety.

The Home Secretary has issued a Written Ministerial Statement, which can be found here: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2023-05-17/hcws779.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to Answers of 6 December 2021 to Question 76580 and 28 October 2021 to Question 59749, whether any ingredients used solely for cosmetics products are tested on animals in the UK to comply with UK REACH as of 9 February 2022; whether she has plans to allow such testing in future; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

The Government can confirm, there has been no change to, and there is no plan to change, any of the legislation related to regulatory testing using animals in the UK.

This includes, but not limited to, the Cosmetic Products Enforcement Act 2013, UK REACH (Registration, Evaluation Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), and the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act.

The Government can confirm that animal testing may be legally performed, as a last resort, where no alternatives exist, where information is required under UK REACH to protect human or animal health and/or the environment. This could include ingredients for which, at the time of testing, the sole anticipated use is in cosmetic products.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to (a) maintain and (b) enforce the ban on animal testing of cosmetics.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

The Government can confirm that the ‘testing’ and ‘manufacturing’ bans of animal testing of cosmetics are maintained and enforced.

Animal testing of cosmetics to permit their marketing for consumer use has been banned in the UK since 1998 and it is illegal to test cosmetic products, or their ingredients, on animals if that testing is to meet the requirements of the Cosmetics Regulations 2009.

Chemicals legislation to protect human health and the environment may require animal testing as a last resort where there are no alternatives under the UK REACH Regulations. However, this does not include finished cosmetic products.