Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the proposed funding by the European Commission for the development of new approach methodologies which do not involve the use of live animals in experiments.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to supporting alternatives to animals in science and will publish a strategy to support their development, validation and adoption later this year. We have reviewed the European Commission's (EC) Life Sciences Strategy and engaged with the European Medicines Agency on accelerating the science-led adoption of alternatives for a range of uses of animals in science, including chemicals, medicines and cosmetics. Government officials regularly attend international meetings to collaborate on best practice and consider approaches to reducing reliance on animal testing, including attending European Commission workshops on the EC roadmap to phasing out animal testing for chemicals.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Answer of 12 September 2024 to Question 2163 on Animal Experiments, which scientists his Department has partnered with to work towards the requirements for phasing out animal testing; and how often he has met those scientists.
Answered by Feryal Clark
We are currently engaging with partners from sectors with interests in animal science as to how we will take this commitment forward. This has included a meeting with representatives from the agricultural, chemical, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, and a meeting with government scientists and regulators, including MHRA, APHA, FSA, EA and UKHSA. Further engagement will take place as this work develops.
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
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, HCWS779, if she will make it her Department's policy to reinstate a full ban on the testing of cosmetic products on animals covering chemicals used (a) exclusively and (b) predominantly as cosmetic product ingredients.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Animal testing of cosmetics for consumer safety has been banned in the UK since 1998 and this remains in force.
Additionally, the Government does not issue licences for animal testing of chemicals that are used exclusively as cosmetics ingredients, carried out under chemicals (REACH) regulations for the purpose of worker and environmental safety.
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.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
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 - Shadow Home Secretary
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.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
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
The regulation of animals in science under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 is a transferred matter under the Northern Ireland devolution settlement.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
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
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.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
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
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.
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
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.
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
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
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.