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Departmental Publication (Statistics)
Home Office

Jul. 13 2023

Source Page: Statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain: 2022
Document: Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 2022 (print version) (PDF)

Found: Prior to 1986, figures were recorded for the number of ‘experiments’ on living animals, under the Cruelty


Written Question
Cosmetics: Animal Experiments
Wednesday 24th May 2023

Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons her Department allows licenses for animal testing of cosmetic ingredients to be issued in certain 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.


Written Question
Cosmetics: Animal Experiments
Wednesday 24th May 2023

Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies of the High Court ruling on the licensing of animal testing for cosmetic ingredients on 5 May 2023.

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


Written Question
Cosmetics: Animal Experiments
Tuesday 23rd May 2023

Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment had been made of the efficacy of existing non-animal methods of safety testing of cosmetic products ingredients before it began issuing licenses for animal testing.

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

As the GB regulator for REACH, HSE has closely supported the development of a number of Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development guidelines on in vitro toxicity testing which are recognised as the international standard. These tests are applicable for testing on a diverse range of chemical substances which can include cosmetic product ingredients. Other methods such as predictive computer modelling can also be used as appropriate.

Modern alternatives mean there are opportunities to design non-animal testing strategies for these chemicals so that worker and environmental safety is unlikely to be compromised, and potentially enhanced. In this way, working with industry, the Government is seeking to improve safety by the application of new non-animal science and technology.


Written Question
Animal Experiments: Cosmetics
Friday 19th May 2023

Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)

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.


Written Question
Animal Experiments: Cosmetics
Thursday 18th May 2023

Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)

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.


Written Question
Cosmetics: Animal Experiments
Thursday 18th May 2023

Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many licenses for animal testing of cosmetic ingredients have been issued since 2019 as a result of the European Chemicals Agency ruling; and to whom those licenses were issued.

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.

Since 2019, the Animals in Science Regulation Unit has granted seven project licences, or amendments to licences, that specifically authorise the testing on animals of chemicals for use as ingredients in cosmetics under the REACH regulations.

The Home Office does not publish details of licensed establishments.


Parliamentary Research
Debate on an e-petition relating to commercial breeding for laboratories - CDP-2023-0008
Jan. 11 2023

Found: replaced with non -animal experiments, that any animal use if necessary be reduced as much as possible


Bill Documents
23 Nov 2022 - Written evidence
Written evidence submitted by Cruelty Free International (REULB75)
Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023

Found: testing as a last resort and the promotion of non-animal methods, the regulation contains significant


Deposited Papers

Jul. 14 2023

Source Page: Nicotine vaping in England: an evidence update including health risks and perceptions 2022. A report commissioned by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. Incl. appendices. 1468p.
Document: Nicotine-vaping-in-England-2022-report.pdf (PDF)

Found: For example, VOCs are prevalent in many household products such as paints and cosmetics and can also