Jul. 13 2023
Source Page: Statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain: 2022Found: Prior to 1986, figures were recorded for the number of ‘experiments’ on living animals, under the Cruelty
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
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.
Mentions:
1: Alexander Stafford (CON - Rother Valley) The UK used to lead the world in animal testing, banning animal testing for cosmetics some 15 years before - Speech Link
2: Kerry McCarthy (LAB - Bristol East) First, we know that not all animal experiments are conducted for the purposes of medical research; many - Speech Link
3: Taiwo Owatemi (LAB - Coventry North West) of cosmetics on animals in 1997. - Speech Link
4: Patricia Gibson (SNP - North Ayrshire and Arran) It is nonsensical and indefensible.Our EU partners are moving away from animal experiments. - Speech Link
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
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.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
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.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
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.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South East)
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.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
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.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many licences, and to whom, they have granted for animal testing of cosmetic ingredients since the start of 2019.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
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.
The Home Office does not publish details of licensed establishments.