Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with the (a) Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and (b) Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on (i) coordinated action to deliver the phase out of animal testing and (ii) the potential merits of establishing a cross-Government taskforce.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
This Government has made a commitment to the development of alternative methodologies to the use of animals in science and Lord Hanson has held discussions on the delivery of that commitment with Ministers for the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The plan we develop will maintain the UK’s place at the forefront of science development and innovation.
In the limited circumstances where there is no animal alternative and procedures are required to deliver important benefits to people, the environment, and other animals then we deliver robust, rigorous and trustworthy regulation of those procedures.
The Home Office assures that, in every research proposal: animals are replaced with non-animal alternatives wherever possible; that experiments are appropriate designed and analysed experiments that are robust, reproducible, and add to the knowledge base; and that we assure the methodologies use the latest technologies to minimise pain, suffering and distress and improve understanding of the impact of welfare on scientific outcomes.